village

The Hebrew and Greek that is translated as “village” or “town” in English is translated in Noongar as karlamaya or “fire (used for “home“) + houses” (source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang).

In Elhomwe it is typically translated as “place.” “Here in Malawi, villages very small, so changed to ‘places,’ since not sure whether biblical reference just to small villages or also to bigger towns. (Source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)

complete verse (Joshua 15:41)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Joshua 15:41:

  • Kupsabiny: “Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah. Those became sixteen cities with their villages.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Gederoth, Beth-Dagon, Naamah and Makkedah —
    all these sixteen cities and their surrounding villages.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “Gederot, Bet Dagon, Naama, and Makeda – 16 towns/cities, including the villages around them.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Gederoth, Beth-Dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah.
    There were 16 towns altogether and their surrounding villages.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Joshua 15:37 - 15:41

THIRD DISTRICT: cities also in the foothills.

The number of cities named agrees with the total given in verse 41: sixteen cities.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Newman, Barclay M. A Handbook on Joshua. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1983. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator’s Notes on Joshua 15:41

15:41a

Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah:

15:41b

sixteen cities, along with their villages: Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

in all there were sixteen towns, and there were villages that surrounded them
-or-
the number of these towns was sixteen, and there were villages that were near them

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