Vetus Latina is a Latin phrase meaning "Old Latin". The spelling pronunciation is [ˈweːtus laːˈtiːna]. The first syllable, "ve", is pronounced like the English word "way". The second syllable, "tus", is pronounced with a long "u" sound, similar to "oo" in "boot". The stress is on the second syllable. The third syllable, "la", is pronounced like the word "la" in English. Finally, the fourth syllable, "ti", is pronounced with a long "ee" sound, like "e" in "bee". The last syllable, "na", is pronounced with a long "a" sound, like "ay" in "day".
Vetus Latina, which means "Old Latin" in Latin, refers to a version of the Bible that predates the Vulgate, the Latin translation of the Bible used in the Western Christian Church during the Middle Ages. The term Vetus Latina is used to describe a collection of biblical texts written in Latin between the 2nd and 5th centuries AD, before the Vulgate became the common Latin translation.
The Vetus Latina is not a uniform translation but rather a diverse collection of texts, characterized by variations and differences in style, vocabulary, and textual traditions. It includes books from both the Old and New Testaments, such as the Psalms, the Gospels, and the Epistles. These texts were translated from Greek or Hebrew sources into Latin to make the Bible accessible to the early Christian community that used Latin as their language of worship and study.
Due to its early origins, the Vetus Latina has significant historical and academic value. It provides insights into the early translations and interpretations of biblical texts in Latin, shedding light on the development of Christian thought and the transmission of the scriptures. However, the Vetus Latina is also known for its textual variations and discrepancies in comparison to later versions, as scribes and translators made mistakes and inadvertently introduced changes over time.
Overall, the Vetus Latina is an important resource for scholars and researchers studying the history and transmission of the Bible, particularly in the early Christian period, offering valuable insights into the early Latin Christian community's understanding of the sacred texts.
The word "vetus latina" has its origins in Latin. "Vetus" means "old" or "ancient", and "latina" means "Latin". Therefore, "vetus latina" can be translated as "Old Latin". This term refers to the early versions of the Latin Bible translations that were made prior to the Vulgate, which was the standard Latin version of the Bible prepared by Saint Jerome in the 4th century AD.