formal pronoun: Jesus addressing his disciples and common people

Like many languages (but unlike Greek or Hebrew or English), Tuvan uses a formal vs. informal 2nd person pronoun (a familiar vs. a respectful “you”). Unlike other languages that have this feature, however, the translators of the Tuvan Bible have attempted to be very consistent in using the different forms of address in every case a 2nd person pronoun has to be used in the translation of the biblical text.

As Voinov shows in Pronominal Theology in Translating the Gospels (in: The Bible Translator 2002, p. 210ff. ), the choice to use either of the pronouns many times involved theological judgment. While the formal pronoun can signal personal distance or a social/power distance between the speaker and addressee, the informal pronoun can indicate familiarity or social/power equality between speaker and addressee.

Here, Jesus is addressing his disciples, individuals and/or crowds with the formal pronoun, showing respect.

In Nepali translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and other people with the medium honorific pronoun timīlē (तिमीले) or timīlēharū (तिमीलेहरू). His disciples respond with a high honorific pronoun. (Source: Chitra Chhetri in The Bible Translator 2009, p. 73ff. )

In most Dutch translations, Jesus addresses his disciples and common people with the informal pronoun, whereas they address him with the formal form.

See also formal 2nd person plural pronoun (Japanese).

human head hair

The Greek, Aramaic, and Hebrew that is translated as “hair” in English is translated in Tzeltal as stsotsil sjol (Tzeltal de Oxchuc y Tenejapa) / stsotsel sjol (Tzeltal Bachajón): “blanket for the head.” (Source: Slocum / Watkins 1988, p. 35)

See also hair (body hair) and hairy (like Esau).

many sparrows

The Greek that is translated as “many sparrows” or similar in English is translated in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with ganze Schwärme von Spatzen or “whole flocks of sparrows.”

See also sparrow.

complete verse (Luke 12:7)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 12:7:

  • Noongar: “God knows all the hairs of your head. So don’t fear! God loves you much more than all the birds.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Even more so you. Even the number [lit, many-ness] of your hair he counts and he knows all. So do not be afraid. God’s taking-care-of you is greater than his taking-care-of many sparrows.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Na, even more so you, God will not forget you. He even knows as to how many hairs you have. Therefore don’t be afraid. You are more valuable to him than many birds.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And how much more are you, because if you count one by one your hairs, He already knows how many there are. Therefore, don’t be afraid, because you are far more precious to Him than even very many birds.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Especially-more you who are people! Because even your hairs, he knows their number. Therefore don’t be afraid, because each one of you is far-away more-important than how many (lit. “the manyness of”) rice-birds (see here )!'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well as for you, he is really taking care of you, that even your hair, he has them all counted. Therefore don’t fear what might happen to you here in the world, because all is under the control of God, and he really values you, much more than a large-flock of ricebirds (see here ).'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

sparrow

While the Greek word strouthion is certainly the name for the sparrow, the Hebrew tsippor is actually an inclusive word that refers to sparrow-sized birds in general. These small birds, especially sparrows, were caught in nets and traps and were an important part of the diet of poor people.

There are three types of sparrow that are common in Israel, the House Sparrow Passer domesticus, the Spanish Sparrow Passer hispaniolensis, and the Dead Sea Sparrow Passer moabiticus. All three are small speckled brown birds. Additional small birds that abound around towns and settlements are members of the bunting, finch, and tit families. Sparrows in particular are usually found in fairly large numbers roosting and nesting together. All are seed eaters and live mainly on grass seeds and grain.

Sparrows were considered clean birds and were associated with the poor.

Sparrows or sparrow-like small birds are found all over the world. Finding a local word is not usually difficult. The reference to “a lonely bird on the housetop” in Psalms 102:7 takes on additional meaning if the sparrow was intended, since it is a bird that is seldom seen alone. It would then indicate the psalmist’s sense of loneliness at being separated from those with whom he belongs.

Source: All Creatures Great and Small: Living things in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)

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. )

Translation commentary on Luke 12:7

Exegesis:

alla kai serves to introduce a clause which contrasts with, and goes beyond, the preceding clause, ‘but (more than that), even…’ (cf. New English Bible), or ‘not only this but even….’

hai triches tēs kephalēs humōn ‘the hairs of the head of (each of) you.’

pasai ērithmēntai ‘are all counted,’ scil. enōpion tou theou ‘in the sight of God,’ also in the perfect tense, cf. v. 6.

arithmeō ‘to count,’ ‘to number.’

mē phobeisthe ‘do not fear,’ i.e. ‘stop fearing,’ cf. on 1.13.

pollōn strouthiōn diapherete “you are of more value than many sparrows” (Revised Standard Version). The plural form of the verb has distributive meaning, since each single person is of more value than many sparrows.

diapherō (also v. 24) ‘to be worth more,’ ‘to be superior,’ with genitive of that to which one is superior.

Translation:

The hairs of (or, on) your head are all numbered, or, ‘the number of all the hairs … is known,’ ‘God knows how many hairs there are on your head.’ For hairs of the head see 7.38.

You are of more value than many sparrows, i.e. your value (figurative) is more than the value/price (literal) of many sparrows, and cf. ‘you are in-all-respects above…’ (Tae’), ‘you are better than…’ (Batak Toba). The contrast between one human being and many sparrows may be made more explicit, e.g. ‘even if only one, you are…’ (cf. Tae’ 1933), or, .’.. sparrows, many as they may be’ (Balinese).

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.