Language-specific Insights

fox

The Greek and Hebrew that is translated as “foxes” in English is translated in Mam as “weasel.” Ron Ross explains: “Foxes is often a difficult concept to express in this part of the world. The Mayas don’t seem to know them. In the Mam project we finally put ‘weasel’ rather than ‘coyote,’ which were basically our choices.”

In Toraja-Sa’dan it is translated as sindallung or “civet cat.” H. van der Veen (in The Bible Translator 1950, p. 21 ff. ) explains: “This animal is a real chicken thief, and is a type of cat with a head resembling that of a fox.”

In Noongar, it is translated as mokiny or “dingo” (in Luke 9:58) (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

See also fox (Herod) and jackal / fox.

clothe with cursing as a coat

The English New Revised Standard Version translates this as “he clothed himself with cursing as his coat, may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones.” Mam (Ostuncalco) has an expression which comes from the way liquor enters into the entire body to warm it, and they used this idiom to replace the two figures for complete identification of the curse with the person. “May the curse saturate him as liquor saturates the one who drinks it.”

incline your heart

The phrase that is translated in English versions as “incline your heart” is translated into Mam (Ostuncalco) as “throw your stomach.”

See also Seat of the Mind for traditional views of “ways of knowing, thinking, and feeling.”

cry out

The Hebrew that is rendered with “cry out” in English translation is translated into Mam (Ostuncalco) as “call out with all your stomach” (for emphasis).

discern, understand

The Hebrew term that is translated as “you will understand” (or “discern”) in English versions is translated into Mam (Ostuncalco) as “understand in your eye/face” (= understanding, insight.)

his word

The Hebrew that is rendered in English as “his word” is translated into Mam (Huehuetenango) as “his action.” Word and action may seem contrasting to us, but actually biblically word and action are closely related, especially in the context of a promise to do something, as here (whether God or Hannah).

blaspheme, blasphemy

The Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, and Latin that is translated as “blasphemy” or “blaspheme” is translated in various forms: