ABSTRACT
This chapter explores different questions of meaning. First, to what extent does comprehensibility affect worshippers' attitude to the language of worship? Secondly, assuming banality is a quality to be avoided, how important is beauty of language? Thirdly, how does connotative meaning affect worshippers' responses to liturgical language? In the analysis of the questionnaire comments, the relevant codes are understand, young and, a sub-group, mumbo-jumbo. Quotations coded understand commented on the comprehensibility of the language of worship, whether traditional or contemporary. Most of the quotations coded young argued that the use of traditional language was inappropriate for children and young people. One English bishop described it as 'brilliant'; a New Zealand incumbent in an urban parish said it represented 'corporate worship at its best'; while an English incumbent of a rural parish particularly liked its imagery of 'light' and 'life'.
