The Bible Translator: Volume 36, Issue 2

Translators should use a loanword for the name of God only if there is absolutely no name for God or if there is very strong negative feeling against the indigenous names. The Bible will put the indigenous name in proper context, myth changing is a constant phenomena, and a local name always gives a “home-feeling” about the divine. Make a complete list of local names for God in context. Use questions by Nida in Bible Translating to explore functions. Define each word. Make correspondences with biblical names. View Less

Metaphors dropped altogether may result in a translation lacking vividness and impact. Comparison of 20 cases in the book of Joel in English, French, German, Dutch and Swahili illustrate reproducing the original figure as such, reproducing it with the comparison stated more fully, changing the metaphor to plain language, and introducing new figures. View Less

The four terms for locust in Joel may be transliterated, translated on the basis of derived meanings, or translated using the nearest equivalent for each term (choosing either different types of insects or different stages of a single creature). In Africa, locusts are welcomed as a food source. It is necessary to emphasize calamity by adding a classifier, describing the destructive activity or adding a footnote. View Less

Problems of nominal class agreement, transliteration of proper names, personification, and others in Joel 1:1–2:18. View Less

Translation problems in Joel 2:18f arise from failure to read the base text correctly or from literal (not meaningful) translation. Translators need to use a model in a language more closely related to the target language than the RSV and GNB. View Less

Repetition is used to emphasize a point, modify the area of meaning of a word, or simply be a stylistic device. Problems arise where there is only one term for a particular concept in the target language. Sometimes two synonymous expressions need to be reduced to one to avoid wrong meaning or to meet the stylistic requirements of the target language. View Less

Section headings may be understood as part of the biblical text itself by new literates because the simple sentences lack the markers of a title in African languages. Examples. View Less

The source of all problems discussed is the fact that even though both the ancient Israelites and the Bokyi people were and are rural societies living in small villages and farming the surrounding land, their staple foods and farming methods are completely different. This cultural diversity creates special problems. View Less

Concerning a note by Cramner (TBT, 1984, 35[2]), questions whether the term “digression” is appropriate where there are logical links which operate in natural language. The nature of the link needs to be explored in some detail. View Less