inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Deut 30:13)

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 translation uses the exclusive pronoun, excluding God. The Adamawa Fulfulde translation uses the inclusive pronoun, including everyone.

complete verse (Deuteronomy 30:13)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Deuteronomy 30:13:

  • Kupsabiny: “And again they are not on the other side of the ocean so that you should say, ‘Who can cross over this ocean to go and bring them to us so that we can listen to them and obey them?’” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Nor is it on the other side of the ocean that we should ask "who will go to the other side of the ocean and get it for us so that we may hear and obey it."” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “It is not also across the sea that you (plur.) will-ask, ‘Who will-cross-over the sea to get it and proclaim to us (incl.) so-that we (incl.) obey (it)?’” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “And they are not on the other side of the sea, with the result that you need to say, ‘Who will need to cross the sea for us and bring them back to us, in order that we can hear them and obey them?/Someone will need to cross the sea for us and bring them back to us, in order that we can hear them and obey them.’” (Source: Translation for Translators)

sea / lake

The various Greek, Aramaic, Ge’ez, and Latin and Hebrew terms that are translated as “sea,” “ocean,” or “lake” in English are all translated in Chichewa with one term: nyanja. Malawi, where Chichewa is spoken, has a lot of lakes but does not share a border with the ocean. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Deuteronomy 30:13

Beyond the sea: or “on the other side of the ocean” (Good News Translation), or “across the sea” (Contemporary English Version). This is another way of referring to some distant land.

The question here is similar to that in the previous verses and is used for the same purpose.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Deuteronomy. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .