The Bible Translator: Volume 25, Issue 1

A unique problem is posed in translating the Bible for people reading for the first time in their lives. The primary aim of such a translation should be to reproduce the message in the most natural way possible. Restructuring may be necessary to avoid misunderstanding, but this raises special problems when more than one sentence is involved. Two presuppositions underlie a resolution: (1) discourse units are units of meaning and (2) adequate tools are at the disposal of the linguist. The limits to restructuring are a restructuring only within clearly definable discourse units. View Less

An attempt to look at some of the problems related to translating non-literal meanings by selecting the example of metaphor. Several classifications of metaphors are discussed and a basic distinction is drawn between full and abbreviated metaphors based on whether all of three constituents are present: (1) object of comparison, (2) image of comparison and (3) ground of comparison: Various biblical examples are given. Problems of transfer of the image may be dealt with in a variety of ways: (1) retaining the source form of the metaphor; (2) render the metaphor as a full one by adding missing constituents; (3) replace original metaphor with another; (4) as a last resort, replace the figure with a non-figure. View Less

The author had devised an empirical test that would measure the readability of several Arabic translations: (1) the Van Dyck, (2) the Arabic Common Bible, (3) the Jesuit NT. Complicating factors are discussed and two tests were established: (1) the cloze procedure consisting of written passages from various texts with every fifth word deleted. (2) A compliance test, where, following instructions, a certain word or words is changed in a passage or sentence. The variables of the procedure are discussed: persons tested, test design, the method of analysis for each of the test methods and the implications and shortcomings of each method. View Less

Historically poetry has been a natural form of literary expression of the Thai people. The problem for translation of biblical poetry is, what kind of poetry should be employed? Discusses the prosodic structure of Thai eight metre poetry, with its peculiar feature: rhyming, alliteration, assonance, lack of relational words and the small semantic content of discourse units. Analyzes Psalm 23 in the Today’s English version and a poetic translation into Thai. Concludes that poetry in Thai serves a similar function poetry did in Jewish life and that it ought to be used widely in the Popular Thai Old Testament. View Less

While most of the appearances of eis and en in John are in accord with classical usage some possible exceptions are reexamined with a conclusion that possibly 1:18 and 19:13 are exceptions. View Less

The old forms of the Slavonic language are discussed, particularly the work of the two brothers, Constantine-Cyril and Methodius. The success of their mission in Moravia was related to the translation of the Scriptures and liturgy into Slavonic; although by the 9th cent. Slavonic linguistic unity was beginning to break up. The work of these two men in translation is viewed as translations from an original Greek manuscript rather than dependent on older Slavonic translations. View Less