English is a rich and varied language, Paddington claims that Londoners have 107 ways to say that it's raining. (107?! Really?! Raining; drizzling; spitting; tipping it down; mizzling this might help...) English also uses the same word in different ways with varied meanings... (For example, think of how many versions and uses of the little word "tie" there are! Here's a start.)
Translation is a deep process - you can't just put everything through Google translate. You have to have a good sense of what the words really mean in the one language and think about how that can be effectively communicated in the other... Getting to the heart of the meaning and then communicating that meaning to the heart of the reader in another language - it's a challenge, but it's such an interesting process.
The translation of The Big Picture Story Bible into Greek did seem like quite a straightforward process though: with a total word count of only just over 8,000, the words are relatively few and simple. It's a children's Bible - the concepts are fairly simple, the language is simple, the narrative is simple.
However, the translation into Greek is as complex as the text in English is simple... (Which itself is simpler to say in Greek!) In the first chapter there are various instances of the word "word". The Bible begins with words; God speaks words; He gives Adam and Eve good words to obey; people are to obey God's word. In later chapters we will have the phrase "the word of God". The wordplay of the use of word in English works well, but doesn't translate easily into Greek. Λέξη/λέξεις (leksi/leksis) would be used for the spoken words of the first couple of phrases, but λόγια (logia) works better for the phrase "good words" and God's word/word of God is usually translated as ο λόγος του Θεού (o logos tou Theou). It feels like we're losing some clever wordplay(!) but the clarity of meaning is more important.
Similarly, the use of the word people is interesting. The people of God; the people whom Satan has power over; all peoples of the earth. The plural of the word άνρθωπος (anthropos) - from person to people - works for the second, but "the people of God" are the λαός του Θεού (laos) and the peoples of the earth could also be the nations τα έθνη (ta ethni), the translation of which may be dependent on whether we are talking pre- or post-Abraham. It's not that we're over-thinking it, but that we want to convey as precise a meaning, both etymologically and theologically, as possible...
Still, we're in good hands with various levels of experience in translating, project-managing, theological-training, etc and it's fascinating seeing how our different gifts contribute differently to the whole. I'm thinking of giving us Spice-Girl style names but, for now, here's a photo of the four of us:
Each time we meet, the other three will bring their draft translations with them, taking it in turns to lead us through a chapter as we share our differences and discuss the relative merits of each version. Last week we wrestled through the first 4 of 26 chapters and are hoping to gather pace and do at least 5 each time we meet over the coming months. It's slow work, but it's a great opportunity, and I'm grateful for these three Lovelies and their willingness to work on the project in their spare* time.
*They are all incredibly busy, gifted and busy!
Translation is a deep process - you can't just put everything through Google translate. You have to have a good sense of what the words really mean in the one language and think about how that can be effectively communicated in the other... Getting to the heart of the meaning and then communicating that meaning to the heart of the reader in another language - it's a challenge, but it's such an interesting process.
The translation of The Big Picture Story Bible into Greek did seem like quite a straightforward process though: with a total word count of only just over 8,000, the words are relatively few and simple. It's a children's Bible - the concepts are fairly simple, the language is simple, the narrative is simple.
Similarly, the use of the word people is interesting. The people of God; the people whom Satan has power over; all peoples of the earth. The plural of the word άνρθωπος (anthropos) - from person to people - works for the second, but "the people of God" are the λαός του Θεού (laos) and the peoples of the earth could also be the nations τα έθνη (ta ethni), the translation of which may be dependent on whether we are talking pre- or post-Abraham. It's not that we're over-thinking it, but that we want to convey as precise a meaning, both etymologically and theologically, as possible...
Still, we're in good hands with various levels of experience in translating, project-managing, theological-training, etc and it's fascinating seeing how our different gifts contribute differently to the whole. I'm thinking of giving us Spice-Girl style names but, for now, here's a photo of the four of us:
 |
| l-r: Sofia, Danae, Cynthia and me... |
Each time we meet, the other three will bring their draft translations with them, taking it in turns to lead us through a chapter as we share our differences and discuss the relative merits of each version. Last week we wrestled through the first 4 of 26 chapters and are hoping to gather pace and do at least 5 each time we meet over the coming months. It's slow work, but it's a great opportunity, and I'm grateful for these three Lovelies and their willingness to work on the project in their spare* time.
*They are all incredibly busy, gifted and busy!