The Bible Translator: Volume 13, Issue 1

Reviews the history of Diglot and Polyglot Scriptures. Discusses their value and numerous problems associated with the publication. He classifies the difficulties under the following headings: (1) the basic text, (2) overall length, (3) phonological correspondence, both as to matters of orthography and the transcription of proper names, (4) grammatical equivalence, and (5) semantic equivalence. Concludes with some observations on the formal arrangement of the text and evaluates the future of Diglot publication. View Less

Suggests that modern research has helped to clarify a few of the many obscure passages in the OT. The author gives possible solutions to problems surrounding the translation of the following passages: Judges 5:5 and Ps. 68:8; the use of the preposition b as “from” in Gen. 21:17, Job 4:21, 1 Kings 12:2; 1 Chron. 4:12, 14; Psalm 82. View Less

The third volume in the series “Helps for Translators” has recently appeared under the above title. It has been published on behalf of the United Bible Societies by the American Bible Society, whose Research Associate, Dr. Robert G. Bratcher, edited the material in cooperation with the U.B.S. Subcommittee OR Translation. The price is $0.85, bur the book is available free to Bible translators on application to their Bible Society (Translations Department). In order to give translators an idea of the nature of the book we print below an extract from the Introduction. View Less

Volume four in the series “Helps for Translators’*, also edited by Dr. Bratcher in cooperation with the U.B.S. Subcommittee on Translation. will be available early in 1962, published by the American Bible Society on behalf of the United Bible Societies, free to translators on application to their Bible Society (Translations Department). View Less

The author begins by mentioning certain areas of similarity of culture between NT times and the Navajo Indians: e.g. sheepherding, silver-smithing, church and others. Problems are classified as follows: (1) Navajo more explicit, (2) limitations of the Navajo language, (3) no cultural equivalent, and (4) literalism versus meaningfulness or punch. View Less

Discusses problems of tone in designing an orthography. The Saramaccan language, spoken in the interior of Surinam, is used for illustrative purposes. View Less

A brief study of the use of ei and ean in the NT. He concludes that in clauses of condition and concession, the important thing is to remember that ei and the indicative is related to facts or definite events, while ean and the subjunctive relates to general conditions, contingencies, and possibilities. The distinction has nothing at all to do with the speaker’s belief that the condition involved is either true or untrue, and only the contrary to fact clauses of condition or concession make the speaker’s assumption clear. Numerous examples from the NT are given to support the author’s thesis. See also The Bible Translator, 1962, 13:223f for a restatement of this position with further examples. View Less

Answers translation questions which have been raised about Psalms 101–150. View Less