The term that is transliterated as “Hannah” in English is translated in American Sign Language with a modification of the sign for “grace,” referring to the original meaning of the name “Hannah.” (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)
“Hannah” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor
Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, the Jarai and the Adamawa Fulfulde translation both use the exclusive pronoun, excluding Nahash.
The Hebrew that is transliterated as “Eli” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “falling back” referring to 1 Samuel 4:18. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 1:13:
Kupsabiny: “praying in her stomach/heart. Now, Eli was not understanding/hearing what she was saying, because she was chewing/moving with her mouth as a drunkard. Eli thought she was probably drunk.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “Hannah was praying in [her] heart. And she was moving [her] mouth but the voice did not come out. Since it was like that Eli thought, "This woman is drunk."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “While she was-continuing to-pray to the LORD, Eli saw her lips moving/opening-and-closing but her voice could- not -be-heard. Eli thought that she was-drunk.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “But Hannah was only praying silently; she was not making any sound. So Eli thought that she was drunk.” (Source: Translation for Translators)
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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 Japanese shows different degree of politeness is through the choice of a benefactive construction as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. Here, ataete (与えて) or “give” is used in combination with kudasaru (くださる), a respectful form of the benefactive kureru (くれる). A benefactive reflects the good will of the giver or the gratitude of a recipient of the favor. To convey this connotation, English translation needs to employ a phrase such as “for me (my sake)” or “for you (your sake).”
Speaking in her heart is a literal translation of the Hebrew. In Hebrew thought the heart designates the most inward part of a person, the center of one’s will and thoughts. As the context indicates (verses 12 and 15), Hannah was praying. New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says she was “praying in her heart.” But the sense of the Hebrew is not that she was praying in her heart rather than in some other part of her body, but rather that she was praying “silently” (Good News Translation, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible) or “inwardly” (Bible en français courant). It was customary at that time for people to pray aloud. See also the similar expression in 27.1.
Instead of the conjunction and, in many languages the connecting word between only her lips moved and her voice was not heard will have to be a contrasting conjunction like “but” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh), since the normal expeCritique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testamention was that sound should come out of the mouth when the lips are moving. Other versions use words like “although” (Revised English Bible) or “though” (New American Bible) to mark this contrast.
Therefore: this word introduces the logical conclusion Eli made. In the ancient world people prayed and read aloud, so Eli naturally thought Hannah was drunk, since he saw her lips moving but heard no sounds. In some languages it will be more natural to reverse the order of the elements in this verse, using a connecting word like “because.” The following rendering may serve as a model:
• Hannah was praying silently. And Eli thought she was drunk, because her lips were moving but there was no sound coming out of her mouth.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on the First and Second Books of Samuel, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2001. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
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