Lexical disambiguation of the word “apocalypse”
In Anglo-Saxon sensibility, the word “apocalypse” conjures up images of doom and gloom. It implies prophetic warnings, supernatural occurrences mystical symbolisms and generally the paranormal, while involving holocaust and carnage, all concepts that have naught to do with scientific research.
In actuality, this dreadfully misinterpreted of Greek words, means a disclosure, a revelation, an announcement and publication of hitherto unknown and hidden details or, in literal translation, an uncovering (apo+kalipsi = un+cover). It also has the meaning of divine revelation in Greek (Christian era), but this is in secondary connotation by religious correlation and without the overtones of retribution and violent upheaval that it has in English.
By rights, to avoid any association that detracts from the fundamentally scientific nature of the research propounded herein, the word “apocalypse” should have been replaced with a non-emotive synonym in English. Nevertheless, it was decided to render it in direct translation because its multiplicity presents a basically important aspect. Namely, to act as a dramatic eye-opener as to how the Greek language has been misrendered in translation which has led to misinterpretations, misrepresentations and conceptual dead ends which, in turn, have led to gross presuppositions and fanciful explanations in search of reconciliation; ultimately, to the loss of Knowledge.
For that reason, this polysemous word was considered aptly suited for the title of the English version of the book “The Apocalypse of a Myth” but in accompaniment with its disambiguation. In this way, it presents an excellent opportunity to accentuate the importance for accurate translations in general and, specifically, the imperativeness for connotatively accurate retranslations of all less than unambiguous Ancient Greek texts, in an attempt to disclose, reveal, uncover, make public knowledge, indeed, to apocalyptically reclaim all the meanings in the writings that have been lost in translation through the centuries. Exactly in the manner that provided meaningful resolution to Plato’s account of Atlantis.
NK