inclusive vs. exclusive pronoun (Luke 19:14)

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 nobleman).

Source: Velma Pickett and Florence Cowan in Notes on Translation January 1962, p. 1ff.

complete verse (Luke 19:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 19:14:

  • Noongar: “Now, people of his country, they did not like him, so they sent messengers following him saying, ‘We don’t want this one to become our king’.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “But in the town of that nobleman, there were also people who hated him. As soon as that nobleman left, they sent messengers going to follow him and say: ‘We (excl.) refuse that nobleman as our king!'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But those people in his country hated him, so after he had left, they sent some after him to say that they did not want that person to be-king/rule over them.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, the inhabitants of the town of this prince, they were disgusted with him, and when he left, they sent someone after him to tell the high king there where he was going, that they did not want that that prince should be their king.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘But his townmates/countrymen hated him, so they sent-some (partitive prefix = some from among them) to follow him to go say to the one-who-appointed, ‘We (excl.) don’t-want this person as our (excl.) king.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Well since he was hated by some of his fellow countrymen, that’s why immediately after he had left, they caused some to race there to that one who would put-him in-office of kingship. They would say, ‘We don’t want that person to reign over us here!'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 19:14

Exegesis:

hoi de politai autou emisoun auton ‘but his citizens hated him,’ again an allusion to contemporary events. politai refers to the people of the country over which he was to be appointed king.

apesteilan presbeian opisō autou legontes ‘they sent a delegation after him, saying,’ i.e. ‘to say,’ implying that the delegates were to transmit what the citizens had said. For presbeia cf. on 14.32.

ou thelomen touton basileusai eph’ hēmas ‘we do not want this man to become king over us.’ touton is slightly contemptuous. basileusai is ingressive aorist.

Translation:

His citizens, or, ‘the people of (or, living in) his country’ (Shona), ‘those of the same land as he’ (Tzeltal).

Hated, see on 1.71; Sranan Tongo has here, ‘did not like him at all.’

Sent an embassy after him, ‘ordered messengers to go after him, or, to follow him (several Indonesian languages), or, to go to that country also.’ To send an embassy, see on 14.32; Fulah shifts from messengers to a message (lit. ‘a sending’); the Tzeltal rendering of “embassy” is coloured by the contents of the message, ‘those-who-make-a-complaint.’

Saying is often better taken with the messengers, e.g. ‘who were to say’ (cf. Bible de Jérusalem), ‘with the message’ (Nieuwe Vertaling). Some further qualification may be necessary, cf. e.g. ‘who were to go and on arrival say’ (Shona 1966), ‘to say there (i.e. in the far country),’ ‘to inform the emperor/ruler/government (there).’ Since the message is to be addressed to persons of high rank languages such as Javanese and Balinese use honorific forms.

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.