In the beginning, there was a Latin verb; and the verb was ēdere

1. In the beginning, there was a Latin verb; and the verb was ēdere • Produce, emit, yield, extract • Put forth, send forth, break forth • Utter, relate, tell announce, disclose . . . . . it’s like I’m always waiting to see the word : TWEET! http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/edere

2. (like edit) ēdere wasn’t a particularly exciting word Here’s the typical “output” of “editors” back in the day

3. Later editing became associated with producing writing – but it was still defined merely as the work done by editors –which was publishing work Latin English Storied Words: The Writer's Vocabulary and Its Origins, Jeff Jeske

4. ē as in ēditor ē+ dare= bring forth, put out ē Storied Words: The Writer's Vocabulary and Its Origins, Jeff Jeske

5. Evolution of the editor

6. Ambrose Pierce suggested the editor had a dual role (1842-1913) Prof. Jeske explains further: • As a redactor the editor looks back (Latin: redigere) at the author’s original meaning and shares in that vision • As a craftsperson (Greek: diaskeuast), however, there’s a separate role that more closely tied to practical matters of rule and convention Storied Words: The Writer's Vocabulary and Its Origins, Jeff Jeske

7. Hebrew scholar John Van Seters (1935) has a lot to say about the history of editors • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Van_Seters • Bibliography • The Hyksos, A New Investigation" (1966) • Abraham in History and Tradition (1975) • In Search of History (1983) • The Edited Bible" (2006) • The Biblical Saga of King David" (2009)

8. Van Setersargues for limited authorial powers of ancient editors • In antiquity the term editor (actor of the verb ē dere) is not used for the writing or production of a book but only as “one who puts on” (a public performance)” • But unlike livestock and grain, books haven’t been around forever; so it’s an anachronism to project the producing, authorial, creative, book editor too far back into antiquity, he says The Edited Bible: The Curious History of the "Editor" in Biblical Criticism

9. Why does he care? It seems like the question came up a couple of times as he strove and succeeded to provide definitive (for now) answers to the question: who wrote the Bible?

10. Why do I care? • Because the word editmay be used differently in Indonesian and English? • Because technology (eg, Photoshop) may be changing the way we use the word edit? • Because I’m interested in differences between editorsand types of editingwork? • Because I’m a writer and work with editors? • Because I’m an editor and work with writers?

11. THANK YOU! @indoeditor @stratagindo