The Bible Translator: Volume 27, Issue 1

Presents 9 translations of Gen. 2:2 and then identifies the chief problem in translation as the relationship between the verbs and the adverbial phrase of time. An analysis of the translation possibilities leads to a conclusion about the need for improving the competence of translators. View Less

The translation of Gen. 3:15 in the RSV and the Revised Luther Bible involves a doctrinal element. This raises the question of whether the protoevangelium is implied in the OT verse. An examination of the arguments for various translations is done and the conclusion reached that the doctrinal element has no basis in the Hebrew text or in any of the ancient versions. View Less

Oral form is important in Gbaya, Cameroun society and thought. A team of translators sought to make a dynamic translation using Gbaya expression and language while remaining true to biblical culture, thought and history. Four features of Gbaya style were important for translation of the Psalms: (1) elision and assimilation, where it is important in Gbaya that the language flow; (2) grammatical structure, where the Gbaya narrative is free-flowing and fast with emphasis on action; (3) description, where Gbaya uses the device of the ideophone, sound words; (4) imagery, where common Gbaya images may distort the original image. View Less

Everyone agrees that the two Hebrew words, par and sor denote two categories of animals, but dictionaries and versions differ on the precise meaning. After compiling biblical data the conclusion is that par denotes a male bovine and sor a bovine without designation of sex or age. Several general considerations confirm the result. View Less

Three Bibles are used by Christians in Korea: the Revised Translation (1937), the New Translation (1967) and the Common Translation (1971). Using a criterion that the translation with the most natural expressions will survive, observations were made about each of the translations with regard to: Chinese loan words, church language, colloquial expressions, functional equivalents of biblical customs and idioms, sentence order and language syntax. It can be seen that the newer translations remove certain linguistic impossibilities, bring their own coloring and sometimes introduce new defects. View Less

Analyzes the Munduruku’ language, a Tupi language of Brazil. In the process of teaching this language the problem of how to indicate tone was raised. The conclusion was to indicate tone with a hyphen in genitive and relational structures with question words. All other possible ambiguities were solved in another way: context, collocational restrictions and discourse features. View Less

The basic question is, how is the quotation in Matt. 2:23 to be translated? The answer is by the expression which most faithfully preserves the bifocal wordplay of this quotation, using indirect quotation and using “Nazorean.” The data supporting the conclusions is drawn and the observation made that each of the English translations has in some way obscured this. View Less

The use of ou and me in Greek is determined solely by the answer which is expected as can be clarified by observing certain verses in the NT. Me is used to express prohibitions as can be demonstrated in examples. The TEV while sounding a bit clumsy does attempt to reproduce the character and force of the original Greek expression. View Less

The conclusions of Bible translating worldwide can be conveniently summarized: (1) there is no such thing as a primitive language; (2) all languages possess relatively elaborate systems of classification; (3) all languages have the potentiality for growth; (4) all languages express numerous subtle distinctions; (5) all languages are used to express aesthetic interests and (6) nothing which can be said in one language cannot be said in another, though it is sometimes difficult to carry over the entire meaning. View Less

A book review of a work by George Steiner which immediately impresses one by its brilliance and erudition and yet which has several critical defects: heavily dependent upon documentation, though the bibliographical material is not mastered; it tackles too many problems at once; his thesis is a restatement of all the stereotypes of the old literary and philosophical debates on translations without a step taken toward real solutions. View Less