Translation
Key Terms
In translating, one must be extra careful when a word has more than one meaning, so that the correct meaning is expressed in the translation. For example, the word 'glory' has at least four meanings in the Holy Scriptures.
Look at each of the following verses where the word 'glory' is used. In the blank in front of each verse, write the letter of the definition in the right-hand column that best fits the particular meaning and sense of 'glory.'
| ________ |
1. And an angel of the Lord appeared to
them, and the glory of the Lord shone
around them, . . . (Luke 2:9) |
A. Splendor;
Beautiful to look at |
| ________ |
"2. Glory to God in the highest, . . ."
(Luke 2:14) |
B. Very bright light
Brilliant shining |
| ________ |
3. . . . the devil took him to a very high
mountain, and showed him all the
kingdoms of the world and
the glory of them (Matt. 4:8) |
C. Powerfulness
Surpassing greatness
Nature of God |
| ________ |
4. . . . we have beheld his glory, glory
as of the only Son from the Father.
(John 1:14) |
D. Praise
Honor
Worship |
| ________ |
5. . . . Christ was raised from the dead
by the glory of the Father . . .
(Rom. 6:4) |
|
| ________ |
6. . . . and the earth was made bright
with his glory. (Rev. 18:1) |
|
| ________ |
7. "All flesh is like grass and all its glory
like the flower of grass. (1 Peter 1:24) |
|
| ________ |
8. . . . "This illness is not unto death;
it is for the glory of God, . . ."
(John 11:4a) |
|
|
Answers to the Glory Puzzle
|
Translation Checking
The checking process by Philippines-based translation
consultants helps to develop the skills of translators and improve
the quality of their work. All SIL translators who have completed
a prescribed amount of work in both narrative and expository genre
are then trained to check their peers' work. While not yet expert
consultants, the goal is for each one to work toward growth while
at the same time having input into their colleagues' translations
by being mentored for the first couple of years by more
experienced consultants.
What does a translation consultant look for when he or she
checks a translation? Here are a few examples, most of which
illustrate violations of basic translation principles:
Ambiguity—More than one meaning can be understood from the
text. (Ambiguity is a violation of the principle of CLARITY.)
Example:
"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me." (from Matthew 10:40)
The statement, as it appears in most translations, could have 2
different meanings:
1) By welcoming you, the person has already,
in effect, welcomed me.
2) The person who is kind enough to
welcome you will probably also
welcome me at a future time.
Cultural distance—The original author and audience shared a
worldview and understanding that are not shared by the modern
reader.
Example:
Mary laid her first-born son in a manger. (from Luke 2:7)
Some readers may not know what a manger is and may assume it is a beautifully crafted baby bed. Actually, it is a
feeding trough for cattle or horses.
Non-equivalence—The meaning of the translation does not convey
the meaning of the original writing. (This is a violation of the
principle of ACCURACY.)
Example:
Original writing: Do not judge...
Translation: Do not criticize...
Comment: Judging includes the idea of guilt and punishment; criticism does not.
Unnatural transitions—The discourse does not flow logically and
smoothly in the receptor language (RL). Often this is a result of
translating the FORM of the source language (SL) rather than the
intended MEANING. (This would be a violation of the principle of
NATURALNESS.)
Example:
In the Hebrew language, almost every sentence of a
story begins with the same word segment, which is most often
translated as 'and.' However, it can also mean 'then' or 'so.' Its
basic purpose is to move the story along and show continuity.
If each of these is translated as 'and,' the story will be very
awkward and unnatural in the receptor language. Also, it will not
communicate the range of possible relationships between the
preceding and following sentences.
