brothers

“Brothers” has to be translated into Naro as “younger brothers and older brothers” (Tsáá qõea xu hẽé / naka tsáá kíí). All brothers are included this way, also because of the kind of plural that has been used. (Source: Gerrit van Steenbergen)

This also must be more clearly defined in Yucateco as older or younger (suku’un or Iits’in), but here there are both older and younger brothers. Yucateco does have a more general word for close relative, family member. (Source: Robert Bascom)

complete verse (Genesis 34:11)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Genesis 34:11:

  • Newari: “Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and elder brothers — ‘Please, you show kindness to me, what you say I will give.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Shekem also asked-for-a-favor from the father and siblings/(brothers) of Dina, ‘If possible [you (pl.)] just have- Dina -marry me/[lit. just have- now Dina -become-wife to me]. Whatever you (pl.) will-ask-for I will-give (it).” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Then Shechem said to Dinah’s father and brothers, ‘If you feel good toward me and do what I am asking for, I will give you whatever you ask for.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

everyone (Japanese honorifics)

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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 to do this is through the usage of appropriate suffix title referred to as keishō (敬称) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017 by either using -san or –sama with the latter being the more formal title.

In these verses, the Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “everyone” or similar in English is translated in the Shinkaiyaku Bible as mina-san (皆さん), combining the word for “everyone” (nī) and the suffix title –san. This creates a higher sense of familiarity and equality than for instance the same term with the more respectful title –sama at young people (Japanese honorifics). (Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

favor / please (Japanese honorifics)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 to do this is through the usage (or a lack) of an honorific prefix as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. When the referent is God, a god, or a person or persons to be greatly honored, the honorific prefix go- (御 or ご) can be used, as in go-kōi (ご好意), a combination of “favor” (kōi) and the honorific prefix go-.

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

Translation commentary on Genesis 34:11

Shechem also said: Shechem was not mentioned as accompanying his father to these negotiations in Gen 34.6. However, it is clear in verse 11 that he is a participant, and in some languages it may be necessary to introduce him as a participant in Gen 34.6. It is also possible to make the situation clear at this point by saying, for example, “Shechem had come with his father, and he now said….”

Shechem’s speech makes a break with what Hamor has been proposing. What the son says goes back to verse 8 and picks up the request to marry Dinah. He shows no interest in his father’s plans for intertribal marriages. He is concerned only for himself.

To her father: that is, “to Dinah’s father, Jacob.”

Let me find favor in your [plural] eyes: see 33.10, 15. Since this is a plea for Jacob and his sons to agree to the marriage proposal, some translations make Shechem say something like “If you agree to my request” or “If you are happy to help me in this matter.”

Whatever you say to me I will give: because of the discontinuity between verse 11 and verses 9-10, it may be necessary to make Shechem’s statement refer more clearly to the marriage proposal. If this is not done in the previous clause, we may say here, for example, “whatever you ask for Dinah I will give it to you” or “ask anything you [plural] want for your [singular] daughter and your [plural] sister and I will give it to you [plural].”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Genesis. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1997. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

respectful form of "say/speak" (ossharu )

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, ossharu (おっしゃる), the respectful form of iu (言う) or “say / speak” is used.

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

respectful form of "give" (sashiageru)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 to do this is through the usage of lexical honorific forms, i.e., completely different words, as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, sashiageru (差し上げる), a respectful form of ageru (あげる) or “give” is used.

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

See also respectful form of “give” (kudasaru) and give (Japanese honorifics).