formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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Like a number of other East Asian languages, Japanese uses a complex system of honorifics, i.e. a system where a number of different levels of politeness are expressed in language via words, word forms or grammatical constructs. These can range from addressing someone or referring to someone with contempt (very informal) to expressing the highest level of reference (as used in addressing or referring to God) or any number of levels in-between.

One way Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 11:2

Consider this day: the verb means “think about,” “ponder,” “remember” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Revised Standard Version), “take thought” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This day is constantly emphasized (see 10.8, 15).

Since I am not speaking to your children …: Revised Standard Version places this within parentheses, since the direct object of the verb consider is the discipline of the LORD your God. There are other, better ways of handling this; Good News Translation has “Remember today what you have learned…. It was you, not your children, who had these experiences,” and Contemporary English Version has a slightly different model: “Remember, he corrected you and not your children.” The emphasis is on the fact that the people who are there in Moab with Moses, and not their children, are the ones who experienced all those events. Then Moses lists the very things they saw (see verses 3, 7). For the LORD your God see 1.6.

The discipline of the LORD your God: the Hebrew noun can mean the act of disciplining, or “training,” as New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, New International Version have it (see the verb in 8.5); or it can mean “lesson,” “instruction” (so Good News Translation “what you have learned”; see also New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible). Either meaning fits well in the context, but it may be that the meaning “lesson” or “instruction” is to be preferred.

His greatness: instead of an abstract noun, a verbal phrase may be better: “how great [or mighty, or powerful] he is.” Contemporary English Version has “You are the ones who saw the LORD use his great power.”

Mighty hand … outstretched arm: see 4.34. In some languages translators may need to combine greatness, mighty hand, and outstretched arm by using one expression such as “mighty power.”

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .