Etymology and Translation
Theotokos is a compound of two Greek words, Θεός God and τόκος parturition, childbirth. Literally, this translates as God-bearer or the one who gives birth to God; historian Jaroslav Pelikan translated it more precisely as "the one who gives birth to the one who is God". However, since many English-speaking Orthodox find this literal translation awkward, in liturgical use, Theotokos is often left untranslated, or paraphrased as Mother of God. The latter title is the literal translation of a distinct title in Greek, Μήτηρ του Θεού (translit. Mētēr tou Theou). Mother of God also accurately translates the Greek words Θεομήτωρ (translit. Theomētor; also spelled Θεομήτηρ, translit. Theomētēr) and Μητρόθεος (translit. Mētrotheos), which are found in patristic and liturgical texts, e.g.
Λαβομένη η Θεοτόκος των εκ του αχράντου και παναμώμου αυτής θυσιαστηρίου σαρκωθέντα ζωοποιόν και ανέκφραστον άνθρακα ως λαβίδι ... επί τούτοις παρουσιασάμενος ο δίκαιος και τη προτροπή είξας της διακονησαμένης Θεώ προς ανθρώπους Θεομήτορος ... περιφανώς ιερά θεομήτωρ εξετέλει.
In many traditions, Theotokos was translated from the Greek into the local liturgical language:
Language | Translation(s) | Transliteration |
---|---|---|
Arabic | والدة الاله | Wālidat Alelah |
Armenian | Աստուածածին | Astvadzatzin |
Bulgarian, Church Slavonic, Macedonian, Russian | Богородица | Bogoroditsa |
Coptic | Ϯⲑⲉⲟⲧⲟⲕⲟⲥ | Ti.Theotokós |
Georgian | ღვთისმშობელი | Ghvtismshobeli |
Latin | Deipara Dei genetrix Mater Dei* |
|
Romanian | Născătoare de Dumnezeu Maica Domnului |
|
Serbian / Croatian | Богородица / Bogorodica Мајка Божја / Majka Božja |
Bogoroditza Mayka Bozhia |
Syriac | ܝܳܠܕܰܬ ܐܰܠܳܗܳܐ | Yoldath Aloho |
Ukrainian | Богородиця Мати Божа |
Bohorodytsia Maty Bozha |
Polish | Bogurodzica Matka Boska |
Bogurodsitsa Matka Boska |
Slovak | Bohorodička Matka Božia |
Bohorodichka Matka Bozhia |
Tagalog | Ina ng Diyos |
Ina ng Diyos |
Belarusan | Багародзіца Маці Божая |
Baharodzitsa Matsi Bozhaia |
^* Translation of the phrase mother of God
Read more about this topic: Theotokos
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