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. )

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

1st person pronoun referring to God (Japanese)

Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight.

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 first person singular and plural pronoun (“I” and “we” and its various forms) as shown here in the widely-used Japanese Shinkaiyaku (新改訳) Bible of 2017. The most commonly used watashi/watakushi (私) is typically used when the speaker is humble and asking for help. In these verses, where God / Jesus is referring to himself, watashi is also used but instead of the kanji writing system (私) the syllabary hiragana (わたし) is used to distinguish God from others.

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

See also pronoun for “God”.

Translation commentary on Mark 8:29

Exegesis:

humeis ‘you’ is emphatic: Translator’s New Testament ‘You, who do you say…?’ (cf. The Modern Speech New Testament ‘You yourselves…’; Manson, Zürcher Bibel, Le Nouveau Testament. Version Synodale, O Novo Testamento de Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo. Revisdo Autorizada).

apokritheis … legei (cf. 3.33) ‘answering … he says’: ‘he answered.’

ho christos (cf. 1.1) ‘the Anointed One,’ ‘the Messiah,’ ‘the Christ’: here employed as a title, not as a proper name. Most English translations have ‘the Christ’ (cf. Zürcher Bibel der Christus, Lagrange le Christ, O Novo Testamento de Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo. Revisdo Autorizada o Cristo); Manson and Translator’s New Testament, however, ‘the Messiah.’

Translation:

Who do you say that I am is as complex as the parallel question in verse 27. In Tzeltal this may be expressed as ‘Who am I, if you should say?’

In general the Christ is translated in a form more or less equivalent to a proper name, even though in this instance it is a title. The reasons for this are (1) any expression such as ‘the anointed’ often involves cultural connotations which are strange and hence difficult to explain, and (2) any such terms as ‘the appointed one’ or ‘the chosen one’ must usually be expanded to indicate by whom, e.g. ‘the appointed one by God.’ Accordingly, a transliterated form of Christ is preferred.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 8:29

8:29a–b

In this verse Jesus asked his disciples to tell him their own beliefs about who he was.

But what about you?…Who do you say I am?: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But what about you?…Who do you say I am? is more literally “But you,(plur) who do you(plur) say I am?” The pronoun you is repeated for emphasis. It emphasizes the difference between the people’s opinions and the disciples’ opinions.

Here are some other ways to translate this emphasis:

But you,…who do you say I am? (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
But who do you yourselves say I am?

say: Here the word say again means “think” or “believe.” See the note on say at 8:27d.

Jesus asked: The Berean Standard Bible has placed the phrase Jesus asked in the middle of Jesus’ question to his disciples. In the Greek text it comes before the speech begins. Place it where it is most natural in your language.

8:29c

the Christ: The phrase the Christ is used here as a title. It is not just one of Jesus’ names. The Jews used this title to refer to the special person whom God had appointed and promised to send as king and savior. The title the Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew title “the Messiah,” and the two titles have the same meaning.

Here are some other ways to translate the Christ:

• Transliterate it. For example:

Krais
-or-
Karisiti

• Transliterate it and indicate in some way that it is a title. For example:

the Christ
-or-
the Kirisita

• Transliterate Christ and include a phrase that explains the meaning. For example:

Christ, the appointed one
-or-
Cristo, the savior God promised
-or-
the Christ who comes from God

If you do not indicate the meaning of the Christ in the text, you may want to include a footnote to explain the meaning of the Christ. Or you may want to explain the meaning in a glossary. For example:

The title “the Christ” refers to the King and Savior whom God had promised to send.

See also Christ in the Glossary.

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