“Sheep are known throughout most of the world, even though, as in Central Africa, they are a far cry from the fleecy wool-producing animals of colder climates. Where such animals are known, even by seemingly strange names, e.g. ‘cotton deer’ (Yucateco) or ‘woolly goat’ (Inupiaq), such names should be used. In some instances, one may wish to borrow a name and use a classifier, e.g. ‘an animal called sheep.’ In still other instances translators have used ‘animal which produces wool’, for though people are not acquainted with the animals they are familiar with wool.” (Source: Bratcher / Nida)
In Dëne Súline, it is usually translated as “an evil little caribou.” To avoid the negative connotation, a loan word from the neighboring South Slavey was used. (Source: NCEM, p. 70)
Note that the often-alleged Inuktitut translation of “sheep” with “seal” is an urban myth (source Nida 1947, p. 136).
The Hebrew, Latin, and Greek that is transliterated as “Samuel” in English is translated in Spanish Sign Language with the sign for “listen” referring to 1 Samuel 3:10. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)
Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of 1 Samuel 15:14:
Kupsabiny: “Samuel told him that, ‘If you truly are saying that you have destroyed everything belonging to the Amalekites, what is this that I am still hearing making noise like sheep and cows?’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
Newari: “But Samuel said, "If that is the case, how is it that I hear the sound of sheep, cows and oxen in my ears?"” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
Hiligaynon: “But Samuel said, ‘If (it is) true that you (sing.) have-obeyed the commands of the LORD, so why have I hear cows and sheep making-a-crying-sound/mooing/lowing/bleating’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
English: “But Samuel replied, ‘If that is true, why is it that I hear cattle mooing and I hear sheep bleating?’” (Source: Translation for Translators)
Said: in many languages it will be more natural to say that Samuel “asked” rather than to say that Samuel said. By asking this question Samuel shows that he does not believe Saul’s claim to have obeyed the commandment of the LORD and to have killed all of the people and animals of the Amalekites.
Revised Standard Version preserves the parallelism of the Hebrew.
Good News Translation, on the other hand, changes the form to more natural English by changing in my ears to “I hear.”
While some languages have different words (bleating and lowing) for the sounds of the different animals, others may use a single verb meaning “crying” or something similar. Translators should not feel compelled to search for two different terms if this is not natural in their language. The Hebrew, in fact, has just one noun, “the voice of the sheep” and “the voice of the oxen.”
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 .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.