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b-hebrew - Re: Verbforms in Is 51.2

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  • From: yochanan bitan <ButhFam AT compuserve.com>
  • To: "Paul Zellmer" <zellmer AT digitelone.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Verbforms in Is 51.2
  • Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 01:46:27 -0400


>>but i'm not sure you will want to reproduce the hebrew tense in
>>translation.
>>perhaps
>> "to sara, who became a mother to all of you"
>>would work better in english and as a translation model.

>PZ:
>Our translation
>philosophy is to understand as best we can the Hebrew, and then change
>it only the amount required to bring out that understanding in the
>target language, Ibanag.

thank you for a one-line road sign about your principles. (as former
translation consultant i understand translation theories and can read
between lines.) your problem here is that hebrew poetry allows for
duplication, expansion, and verb-tense play that is unacceptable in most
languages. a parade example is psalm 2.1-2. delightful heb plays but
translated as all aorist indicative in LXX. they couldn't handle it,
despite their highly developed aspect system.

>Would this fit the sense that you see being put forth here by the
>writer: to Abraham, your father, and to Sara, who would have [in the
>case that Abraham is your father] given birth to you"? Realize that we
>would never add all those words. I only ask it this way to make sure I
>understand to what the modal aspect refers. I don't see that modality
>at all in your last suggestion. In fact I would probably back-translate
>that using a 2fs qatal of HYH and the nominal form for mother.

how about "sara, who is a mother to all of you"?
that adds 'all' but can be justified as reflecting the dynamic character of
a verb phrase.
one must factor in the poetic aspect in your translation. if you want some
of the content you must adapt the saying to something more natural in
ibanag. if they don't play with modality or it would change the focus and
distort the message, then drop it. like the LXX with their participle "who
is in labor for you".

braxot
randall buth



  • Re: Verbforms in Is 51.2, yochanan bitan, 10/19/1999

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