The Hebrew in Genesis 20:17 that is translated as “heal” (from infertility) in English could not be translated directly in Western Lawa. “Barrenness and impotency are not understood as sickness in the Western Lawa culture. Thus the verb ‘heal’ could not be used. Therefore the last part of the verse was translated: ‘Abimelech was saved from what God had planned to do to him. God caused his wife and women slaves to be able to have children like before.'”
The Hebrew in Genesis 31:40 that is translated as “sleepless” or “sleep fled from my eyes” in English is translated in Western Lawa with a couplet which says, “I can neither eat deliciously nor sleep peacefully.”
Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.
As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in The Bible Translator2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee. Here, Satan, demons or demon-possessed men address Jesus with the formal pronoun, signaling submission. Jesus on the other hand, responds with an informal pronoun which signals his more powerful position.
In Burmese there are three different levels of speech: common language, religious language (addressing and honoring monks, etc.), and royal language (which is not in active use anymore). Earliest Bible translations used exclusively royal and religious language (in the way Jesus is addressed by others and in the way Jesus is referred to via pronouns), which results in Jesus being divine and not human. Later editions try to make distinctions. In the Common Language Version (publ. 2005), Satan is shown to recognize Jesus as Lord when he addresses Jesus as ko taw (ကိုယ်တော်) (see pronoun for “God”). At the same time he is rude to Jesus when he refers to himself by the pronoun nga (ငါ) which indicates a similar or superior position, declaring himself to be the same or superior to Jesus’ Lordship. (See Matthew 4:9 and Luke 4:6 and 7.) (Source: Gam Seng Shae in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 202ff. )
In Nepali translations, however, Jesus is addressed by Satan with the high honorific pronoun tapā’ī (तपाई), showing high respect, and responds with a non-honorific pronoun ta (तँ), showing no respect. (Source: Chitra Chhetri in The Bible Translator 2009, p. 73ff. )
The Greek that is translated in English as “brother” or “brother and sister” (in the sense of fellow believers), is translated with a specifically coined word in Kachin: “There are two terms for brother in Kachin. One is used to refer to a Christian brother. This term combines ‘older and younger brother.’ The other term is used specifically for addressing siblings. When one uses this term, one must specify if the older or younger person is involved. A parallel system exists for ‘sister’ as well. In [these verses], the term for ‘a Christian brother’ is used.” (Source: Gam Seng Shae)
In Matumbi is is translated as alongo aumini or “relative-believer.” (Source: Pioneer Bible Translators, project-specific notes in Paratext)
In Martu Wangka it is translated as “relative” (this is also the term that is used for “follower.”) (Source: Carl Gross)
In the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) it is often translated as Mitchristen or “fellow Christians.”
Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.
As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in The Bible Translator2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.
Here, Jesus is addressing the woman with an informal pronoun whereas she addresses him with a formal pronoun, showing respect.
In Gbaya, where God is always addressed with the second person plural pronoun ɛ́nɛ́, the common way to address superiors, the woman addresses him with the less courteous nɛ́ in verse 4:9 but then switches to the courteous plural form ɛ́nɛ́. (Source Philip Noss)
Likewise in Burmese where in the Common Language Version (publ. 2005) the Samaritan woman changes her language level from the Common to the Royal and Religious as she discovers the real nature of Jesus. Jesus appears here as a divine revealer. (Source: Gam Seng Shae in The Bible Translator 2002, p. 202ff. )
In most Dutch translations, both Jesus and the woman use the formal pronoun, whereas in Afrikaans and Western Frisian Jesus addresses the woman informally and she addresses him with the formal pronoun.
Following are a number of back-translations of Romans 11:15:
Uma: “For when God discarded the Jews, the way was opened for all people in the world for their connection with God to become good. So even more will be the blessedness of the contents of the world if/when God receives back those Jews. That happening will be like a dead person coming back to life.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Because of God’s turning-his-back-on/rejecting the Yahudi nation, the nations not Yahudi are now reconciled by God (to himself). Na, what is it like if/when God accepts/receives the Yahudi again? Indeed it is very good. It is as if they had died but are alive again.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For if, when the Jews separated from God, it became possible for God to become one with people who aren’t Jews, how much greater will be the blessing to the people who aren’t Jews when the Jewish people return again to God. How good will be what happens then because at that time, all mankind will be like a dead person raised again to life!” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Because due to God’s turning-away-from them, other people have the opportunity to become friends of God. Therefore it will be even better when/if God receives the Jews again, because the result will be like the living-again of the dead.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tenango Otomi: “How great it will be when the day comes when again Jews are brought together with God. They were separated from God and then God became friends with people who are not Jews. But now, if the Jews change their hearts and believe in Christ, it will be like they resurrected, having died.” (Source: Tenango Otomi Back Translation)
Burmese: “If God’s rejection of them means making friends among the people of the world, then God’s taking possession of them is like resurrection from the dead. Isn’t it?”
Lisu: “… won’t receiving of them be resurrection from the dead?”
Indonesian (Indonesian Bible Society version of 1985): “… Indeed it is like dead persons become alive again.” (Source for this and two above: Gam Seng Shae in The Bible Translator 1999, p. 227ff. )
In American Sign Language it is translated with a sign for the letter M and the sign for “virgin,” which could also be interpreted as “head covering,” referring to the way that Mary is usually portrayed in art works. (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Mary” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
In Hungarian Sign Language the sign is based on historical images, referring to the veil covering her head: the earliest depictions of Mary (dating back to the 2nd century) already portray her wearing a headscarf or a veil. Its sign in sign language refers to the veil because, within Christian culture, this is her most recognizable visual attribute, distinguishing her from other biblical figures. (Source: Jenjelvi Biblia and HSL Bible Translation Group)
In some Semitic languages, the transliteration for “Mary” is identical to the one for the prophetess “Miriam,” testifying to the fact that these names are identical (Arabic and the many translations that are reliant on Arabic: مَرْيَم, Hebrew: מִרְיָם, Ge’ez / Amharic and related languages: ማርያም).
