Many languages distinguish between inclusive and exclusive first-person plural pronouns (“we”). (Click or tap here to see more details)
The inclusive “we” specifically includes the addressee (“you and I and possibly others”), while the exclusive “we” specifically excludes the addressee (“he/she/they and I, but not you”). This grammatical distinction is called “clusivity.” While Semitic languages such as Hebrew or most Indo-European languages such as Greek or English do not make that distinction, translators of languages with that distinction have to make a choice every time they encounter “we” or a form thereof (in English: “we,” “our,” or “us”).
For this verse, translators typically select the exclusive form (excluding the addressee).
Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.
Following are a number of back-translations of Acts 21:15:
Uma: “After that, we (excl.) got ready [lit., gathered our stuff], and we left for Yerusalem.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “After several days (lit. if how many days) we (excl.) got ready and we proceeded to Awrusalam.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And when somewhat a long time already we had stayed there, we packed up and left for Jerusalem.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “Then we (excl.) got-ready, and we (excl.) went to Jerusalem.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “We(excl.) weren’t indeed long there. We(excl.) packed and then continued on to Jerusalem.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:
While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)
“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)
The verb translated we got our things ready is perhaps a specific reference to packing up for the trip (see New English Bible “we packed our baggage” and Jerusalem Bible “we packed”). Some commentators understand this verb to mean “we hired horses,” but no translation seems to go in this direction. The tense of the verb translated left perhaps means something like “went on” (so Jerusalem Bible), thus indicating the continuation of the journey rather than its beginning.
Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on The Acts of the Apostles. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.