formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese)

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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 formal plural suffix to the second person pronoun (“you” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. In these verses, anata-gata (あなたがた) is used, combining the second person pronoun anata and the plural suffix -gata to create a formal plural pronoun (“you” [plural] in English).

(Source: S. E. Doi, see also S. E. Doi in Journal of Translation, 18/2022, p. 37ff. )

SIL Translator’s Notes on 2 Kings 23:21

Section 23:21-30

King Josiah’s good reign/life came to an end

23:21a The king commanded all the people,

The king sent an order to all the people. He said,

-or-

Then King Josiah commanded all the people ⌊in Judah⌋

23:21b “Keep the Passover of the LORD your God,

“Celebrate the Passover ⌊festival⌋ to ⌊honor⌋ Yahweh, your God.

-or-

to observe/keep the ⌊feast of⌋ deliverance ⌊in honor of⌋ Yahweh their God.

23:21c as it is written in this Book of the Covenant.”

⌊Celebrate it⌋ according to what is written in this scroll/book of the Covenant.”

-or-

⌊He told them to observe/keep the feast⌋ in the way that the Covenant Book said that they should.

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