bread, loaf

The Greek term that is translated in English as “bread” or “loaf” is translated in Samo, it is translated as “Sago,” which serves “like ‘bread’ for the Hebrews, as a generic for food in the Samo language. It is a near-perfect metonymy that has all the semantic elements necessary for effective communication.” (Source: Daniel Shaw in Scriptura 96/2007, p. 501ff.)

In Chol it is translated as waj, the equivalent of a tortilla. (Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight)

John Beekman (in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 180f. ) explains: “The word ‘bread’ in Scripture primarily occurs as either a specific term for bread (including the Lord’s Supper), or as a generic term for food. It is not surprising, however, the some aboriginal groups use something other than bread as the staff of life. The Chols, with their cultural focus in the cultivation of corn, use waj, a type of thin corn flake. Since a meal is not complete without this main item of food, the term has been extended to include any other foods which may be served along with waj. While bread is known to them, its use is limited to a few occasions during the year when it functions as a dessert. In translating this term in the Chol New Testament, consistent use has been made of the word waj whenever the function of bread as a basic food was in focus. John 6:35, “I am the bread of life,” was thus translated with this word. If the word for bread had been used, it was feared that the Chol would compare Christ to the desirable, but not absolutely necessary, dessert.”

Robert Bascom adds his thoughts to this in relation to other Mayan languages (in Omanson 2001, p. 260): “In many Mayan languages, ‘bread’ can be translated waj or kaxlan waj. The first term literally means anything made from corn meal, while the second term literally means ‘foreigner’s waj,’ and refers to the local wheat-based sweet breads which are so popular within the broader European-influenced culture of the region. On the one hand, waj would be a better dynamic equivalent in cases where ‘bread’ meant ‘food,’ but in cases where the focus is literal or the reference well-known, kaxlan waj would preserve a flour-based meaning (though in biblical times barley was more in use than wheat) and not insert corn into a time and place where it does not belong. On the other hand kaxlan waj is not the staff of life, but refers to a local delicacy. In cases such as these, it is even tempting to suggest borrowing pan, the Spanish word for ‘bread,’ but native speakers might respond that borrowing a foreign word is not necessary since both waj and kaxlan waj are native terms that cover the meaning (though in this case, perhaps not all that well).”

Dinner at Emmaus (image)

Hand colored stencil print on momigami by Sadao Watanabe (1971).

Image taken with permission from the SadaoHanga Catalogue where you can find many more images and information about Sadao Watanabe.

For other images of Sadao Watanabe art works in TIPs, see here.

He appears to seekers and opens their hearts (image)

“When Jesus raises a cup of water, the two followers suddenly recognize who he is. The water container in the front is northern Thai style. Water is drunk at the end of the meal in Thailand. Water is also a symbol of life.”

Drawing by Sawai Chinnawong who employs northern and central Thailand’s popular distinctive artistic style originally used to depict Buddhist moral principles and other religious themes; explanation by Paul DeNeui. From That Man Who Came to Save Us by Sawai Chinnawong and Paul H. DeNeui, William Carey Library, 2010.

For more images by Sawai Chinnawong in TIPs see here.

The Road to Emmaus (icon)

Following is a contemporary Ukrainian Orthodox icon of Christ as the grapevine by Khrystyna Kvyk.

 

Orthodox Icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )

complete verse (Luke 24:30)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 24:30:

  • Noongar: “Jesus sat to eat with them. He got the bread, and thanked God, then he broke the bread and gave it to them.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “They sat together to eat. Yesus took bread, he prayed-for it, he broke-it-in-pieces and he gave it to them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “After that when they were sitting there soon to eat, Isa took the bread and he gave thanks to God and then he broke the bread (in pieces) and gave it to them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when they were already in the house, they sat down to eat. And as for Jesus, he took bread and he thanked God for it and then he broke it and then he gave it to them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “When they sat down to eat, Jesus took the bread and thanked God. Then he broke-it-into-pieces and gave it to them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When they were now sitting at the eating-place, Jesus picked up bread and then prayed giving thanks to God. After he had ended, he divided/broke that bread and handed it to them.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Honorary are / rare constructs denoting God (“hand over”)

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 show different degree of politeness is through the usage of an honorific construction where the morphemes rare (られ) or are (され) are affixed on the verb as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. This is particularly done with verbs that have God as the agent to show a deep sense of reverence. Here, watas-are-ru (渡される) or “hand over” is used.

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

Translation commentary on Luke 24:30

Exegesis:

kai egeneto ‘and it happened,’ cf. on 1.8. Here it serves to indicate the climax of vv. 13-32.

en tō kataklithēnai auton met’ autōn ‘after he had sat down with them.’ For kataklinomai cf. on 7.36.

labōn ton arton eulogēsen lit. ‘after taking the bread he blessed it.’ The wording of this clause and the next recalls the last supper of Jesus and his disciples (22.19), but it is not specifically liturgical, since all words are in common usage with regard to ordinary meals. The point, however, is that Jesus acts as though he were host. eulogeō is used here with an impersonal object and means ‘to say the blessing (over something),’ cf. on 9.16.

klasas epedidou autois lit. ‘after breaking it he gave it to them.’ epididōmi is equivalent to simple didōmi.

Translation:

For when he was (or, sat, or, had sat down) at table see on 7.36, for bread see on 4.3, and for blessed on 1.42, sub (4).

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.