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)

complete verse (Joshua 15:36)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 15:36:

  • Kupsabiny: “Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah and Gederothaim. Those became fourteen cities together with their villages.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah and Gederothaim.
    All together these were fourteen cities and their surrounding villages.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Shaaraim, Aditaim, and Gedera (or Gederotaim) — 14 towns/cities, including the villages around them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Shaaraim, Adithaim, and Gederah (which is also named Gederothaim). Altogether there were 14 towns and their surrounding villages.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 15:33 - 15:36

THE SECOND DISTRICT: cities in the foothills.

Here fifteen cities are named; the total (verse 36b) is given as fourteen cities.The Septuagint, instead of and Gederothaim in verse 36, has “and its sheepfolds,” thus making the total fourteen cities; but no current translation has this, and Hebrew Old Testament Text Project does not favor it.

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 .