Paul moves now from illustrations to literal statements. Here and in verse 12, you is emphatic. The order of words in the Greek is a little strange, and the meaning is not entirely clear, either in Greek or in Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible. The difficulty, as often in Paul’s writings, arises because he is trying to say two things at once: (1) If you are speaking in a tongue, how will anyone be able to tell what you are saying? (2) How can anyone tell what you are saying if you do not give a clear message? The translator must avoid giving the impression that a message spoken in a “tongue” could of itself be distinct and intelligible. The implication, which Paul has expressed in verse 5, is that someone is needed to interpret whenever someone is speaking ecstatically.

Revised Standard Version‘s literal translation of the last part of the verse may seem to give the impression that all speaking is really speaking into the air. Good News Bible‘s expansion “your words will vanish in the air” gives the meaning more clearly. Many languages have similar idioms; for example, “speak the wind” (Thai Common Language Version).

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .