village

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “village” or “town” in English is translated in Noongar as karlamaya or “fire (used for “home“) + houses” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In Elhomwe it is typically translated as “place.” “Here in Malawi, villages very small, so changed to ‘places,’ since not sure whether biblical reference just to small villages or also to bigger towns. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

family / clan / house

The Hebrew terms that are translated as “family” or “clan” or “house” or similar in English are all translated in Kwere as ng’holo or “clan.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

In the English translation by Goldingay (2018) it is translated as “kin-group.”

See also tribe.

complete verse (Joshua 13:28)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 13:28:

  • Kupsabiny: “Those were the cities and villages given to the clan of Gad.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “These cities and villages were as inheritance of the Gadites clan-by-clan.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Those are the towns/cities and villages which were-given to the tribe of Gad, which were-divided/partitioned according-to each family.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “All this land, including the towns and villages, was allotted to the tribe of Gad.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 13:28

For families, see verse 15. For the translation of this verse, see comments at verse 23, where the last sentence is of the same construction.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .