Register - Log In


FunTrivia Homepage


  • New Questions

  • Unanswered


  • Post a Question

    • Goto Qn #




    Archives

    Which book written centuries ago, widely read, still does not have a single change, even in punctuation, from its original version - all publications newest to oldest are 100% identical?

    Question #49098. Asked by Trango Tower. (Jul 06 04 5:57 AM)


    Jedigrand

    		The Koran, I guess. Since it is supposed to contain the exact words of God, it is not supposed to be changed at all. Therefore many moslems learn arabic, so that they can read it in the original language.

    Jul 06 04, 11:22 AM
    Trango Tower

    		Jedigrand, you are correct. This is Quran, though this book is translated in to many languages but its original manuscript which is in Arabic is absolutely unchanged. The reason is also given in Quran: This is the responsibility of Allah to make sure that this book remain "unchanged" till the Day of Judgement!

    Jul 07 04, 1:47 AM
    Stew54

    		That's certainly what Muslims are taught, Trango, and it's true that the Arabic text of the Holy Qu'ran has remained astonishingly constant. I can't find the site now, but a little while ago I read about a German survey carried out before WWII which sampled thousands of texts of all ages from all over the world and found only the tiniest number of copying errors. But isn't it the case that, for example, the very earliest copies didn't have all the diacritical marks that are added in order that there can be no chance of a word being misread?

    Jul 07 04, 8:51 AM
    Trango Tower

    		Yes Stew, this is so that diacritical marks were added and this was just after few decades of its original manuscript was finalized. Because the meaning of Arabic words can change substantially if a tiniest of marks is changed or missed.

    Jul 08 04, 5:17 AM
    Arpeggionist

    		Well, I'd go with the Old Testament in its original Hebrew. The oldest known manuscript of these texts are some 2,000 years old (the Dead Sea Scrolls as they're called), and there is not a single spelling change between that and today's text. The two next oldest manuscripts are the Hamburg manuscript and the Allepo (Syria) Codex, both of which are written out and spelled in exactly the same way. Legend has it that when the ancient Greeks attempted to translate the first few books, 72 of them each individually translated the books identically.

    Jul 08 04, 6:13 AM

    Find something useful here? Please help us spread the word about FunTrivia. Recommend this page below!


    Sign up to see all responses!

    Create a Free ID instantly to see all recent responses, post your own follow-ups or questions, and access over 1,000,000 trivia questions!

    Choose a User Name:
    Your Email Address:
    Choose a Password:

    I agree by the terms outlined in FunTrivia's Conditions of Use




    Other Similar Questions & Answers


    In the most widely read version of the story this character is unnamed but the traditional name appears in subsequent art and is the title of a play written centuries later. The character does a performance whose most famous form is in an opera based on the play and there are also at least three films of the story. Who is the character, the playwright, the composer and what is the performance?

    What is the most widely read Canadian book ever written?

    When reading a book, I like to read an unabridged complete version. I just checked out two copies of Fellowship of the Ring, one published by Ballantine and the other by Houghton Mifflin and I notice the map in the front of the books are different. Which book should I read, why the difference?

    Suggested Related FunTrivia Quizzes - 90,000 currently online

    1 Punctuation
    Do you know what punctuation to use?
    		Quizmaker Tune-Ups Easy
    10 Q
    ladymacb29
    Feb 01 02
    8841 plays
    2 It is Written!
    In this quiz I will ask questions regarding written or inscribed sayings, slogans or other famous words that can be prominently seen in films. See if you can't recall these written words amongst the other visual imagery...good luck!
    		Something in Common Tough
    10 Q
    thejazzkickazz
    Sep 14 04
    702 plays
    3 It's Its!
    One of the most common mistakes editors find in quizzes is confusion over when to use 'its' and 'it's'. If you create quizzes, help me out by taking this quiz! If the usage is correct, pick 'yes', otherwise, pick 'no'.
    		Quizmaker Tune-Ups Very Easy
    15 Q
    crisw
    Jun 06 00
    10878 plays




    "Ask FunTrivia" is for entertainment purposes only, and answers offered are unverified and unchecked by FunTrivia. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or veracity of ANY statement posted. Feel free to post an updated response if you feel that an answer is inadequate or incorrect. Please thoroughly research items where accuracy is important to you using multiple reliable sources. By accessing our website, you agree to be bound by our terms of service.