"Lame Duck" translations

I share with Fr. Zuhlsdorf at What Does the Prayer Really Say? an enthusiasm for the upcoming revised translation of the Roman Missal. The language is much more theologically robust, poetic, and scriptural. He has done a lot to help the faithful get past the obscurities of the current ICEL translation to see the depth and beauty of the Latin text.

I wonder, though, whether "lame duck" is the best term to describe the current translation. I associate that term with impotence and ineffectiveness. Whatever its inferiority to the revised translation, it is certainly neither impotent or ineffective. In fact, many wonderful and holy Catholics today have had their relationships with Christ an His Church fed exclusively with this translation. And this will continue to be the case until Advent, 2011. I have always advocated for a better translation and at the same time defended the spiritual potential of the present translation. It is not negligible.

I think the best approach is to say, "You think the current translation is spiritual rich; wait until you try the revised one!"