The Bible Translator: Volume 28, Issue 4

All languages have certain features in common, but they are different languages. Differences arise from language structure, culture, vocabulary formation and idioms. A language must be understood on its own terms. View Less

Describes how a young adult permits his translation to be checked by the older adults in a society where youth and adulterated language are associated. His example is from the Izi language in Nigeria. View Less

Statement of the translation principles of the editorial team of the Good News Bible. They reflect the main concern of the translators -- to produce a meaningful common language translation. They relate what is good translation in general to the task of preparing a particular translation in a particular language. View Less

Using 1 Peter 1 as a test case, the use of implicit language is studied where the object or subject is left unexpressed. 1 Peter 1:1,2,5,10,12,13,14,15,17,18 and 20 are discussed. View Less

Discusses a list of flies which can spoil the taste of the biblical soup if they appear in the translation. They are poor punctuation (especially leaving out or misusing quotation marks), inadequate paragraphing, inconsistent orthography (especially spelling proper names), unnatural word order, failure to properly identify the speaker in direct speech, and omissions of small fragments of text and inaccuracies in the reference system. View Less

In order to test whether a translation communicates accurately and meaningfully, it must be exposed to the reaction of the people for whom it is written. Outlines a procedure for testing a translation with the church and village. Suggests how the tester might elicit reactions from the people. View Less

In the Muslim context of Malaysia, the translation “Son of God” is problematic. As well as a translation problem, the phrase is problematic for interpretation and theology. Suggests that translators in a Muslim context use a functional translation such as “God’s servant." View Less

Reports on one particular aspect of the program at a translation seminar held in Indonesia. Five areas of testing are necessary: English comprehension, ability to write Indonesian with clarity and in good style, ability to analyze a text, understanding of translation principles, and the ability to translate from Bahasa Indonesia into the regional language and from that language back to Bahasa Indonesia. View Less

Hina should be translated in terms of result (“with the result that”) rather than purpose (“in order that”) in Rom. 5:20. View Less

The point in Luke 22:25 is not that the rulers are in fact called “friends of the people” (TEV), but that they seek to be called “friends of the people” (Jerusalem Bible). View Less

The traditional translation of “two or three metretas” as “two or three measures” in John 2:6 is inaccurate. Conversion of the capacity of the jars into modern equivalents is the better approach. View Less