bread, loaf

The Greek term that is translated in English as “bread” or “loaf” is translated in Samo, it is translated as “Sago,” which serves “like ‘bread’ for the Hebrews, as a generic for food in the Samo language. It is a near-perfect metonymy that has all the semantic elements necessary for effective communication.” (Source: Daniel Shaw in Scriptura 96/2007, p. 501ff.)

In Chol it is translated as waj, the equivalent of a tortilla. (Click or tap here to see the rest of this insight)

John Beekman (in The Bible Translator 1962, p. 180f. ) explains: “The word ‘bread’ in Scripture primarily occurs as either a specific term for bread (including the Lord’s Supper), or as a generic term for food. It is not surprising, however, the some aboriginal groups use something other than bread as the staff of life. The Chols, with their cultural focus in the cultivation of corn, use waj, a type of thin corn flake. Since a meal is not complete without this main item of food, the term has been extended to include any other foods which may be served along with waj. While bread is known to them, its use is limited to a few occasions during the year when it functions as a dessert. In translating this term in the Chol New Testament, consistent use has been made of the word waj whenever the function of bread as a basic food was in focus. John 6:35, “I am the bread of life,” was thus translated with this word. If the word for bread had been used, it was feared that the Chol would compare Christ to the desirable, but not absolutely necessary, dessert.”

Robert Bascom adds his thoughts to this in relation to other Mayan languages (in Omanson 2001, p. 260): “In many Mayan languages, ‘bread’ can be translated waj or kaxlan waj. The first term literally means anything made from corn meal, while the second term literally means ‘foreigner’s waj,’ and refers to the local wheat-based sweet breads which are so popular within the broader European-influenced culture of the region. On the one hand, waj would be a better dynamic equivalent in cases where ‘bread’ meant ‘food,’ but in cases where the focus is literal or the reference well-known, kaxlan waj would preserve a flour-based meaning (though in biblical times barley was more in use than wheat) and not insert corn into a time and place where it does not belong. On the other hand kaxlan waj is not the staff of life, but refers to a local delicacy. In cases such as these, it is even tempting to suggest borrowing pan, the Spanish word for ‘bread,’ but native speakers might respond that borrowing a foreign word is not necessary since both waj and kaxlan waj are native terms that cover the meaning (though in this case, perhaps not all that well).”

numbers in Kombai

Many languages use a “body part tally system” where body parts function as numerals (see body part tally systems with a description). One such language is Kombai that uses a system that ends at the number 23 but can be extended. In cases where larger numbers need to be used, Indonesian loan words are used, otherwise traditional numbers are being used.

In Mark 8:19, where both “five” and “five thousand” is used, “five” is translated with ambalo-khu or “thumb/five” and “five thousand” is translated with the Indonesian loan word lima-ribu.

Source: Lourens de Vries in A survey of the history of Bible translation in Indonesia, Beekman Lecture 2013.

See also large numbers in Angguruk Yali and numbers in Ngalum.

complete verse (Mark 8:19)

Following are a number of back-translations of Mark 8:19:

  • Uma: “the five [loaves of] bread I chunked up and feed the five thousand people with? How many baskets of leftovers did you gather?’ His disciples said: ‘Twelve baskets.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “When I divided the five breads among the five thousand people, how many baskets full of left-overs did you gather?’ They said, ‘Twelve.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “For when I broke the five pieces of bread to feed the five thousand men, how many baskets did you fill of the leftover pieces of bread?’ And then they answered, ‘Twelve.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “the five breads that sufficed for the over five thousand people? How many baskets did you fill with left-overs?’ ‘Twelve,’ they said.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “When I you-remember broke up those five units of bread with which to feed five thousand people, well how many baskets were filled with what was in excess?’ ‘Twelve baskets,’ was their answer.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

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.

Translation commentary on Mark 8:19

Exegesis:

This question refers to the first feeding of the multitude, narrated in 6.41-44.

eklasa (cf. 8.6; in 6.41 kataklaō) ‘I broke.’

kophinous klasmatōn plēreis ‘baskets full of pieces.’

kophinos (cf. 6.43) ‘basket.’

klasma (cf. 6.43) ‘piece,’ ‘broken piece.’

plērēs (cf. 4.28; in 6.43 the genuine text is plērōmata) ‘full.’

Translation:

If the first two clauses of verse 19 are taken as the object of the verb ‘remember,’ it may be necessary to change the order in order to place the principal clause first, e.g. ‘do you not remember how many baskets full of broken pieces you took up when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand?’

Terms for broke, loaves, baskets, and take up should agree with those used in the previous context, 6.41-43.

Five thousand may need to be translated as ‘five thousand men,’ since many languages require such an element with numerals. Similarly, twelve may require expansion to ‘twelve baskets’ or ‘we took up twelve baskets.’

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 .