Sometimes translating the simplest of words can be more complicated than it might, at first, seem.
Tag: languages
Posts from the Past: I Speak Bible
One of the occupational hazards of life as a Bible translator is having to answer well meaning people when they ask how many languages you speak.
Four reasons why we need to translate the Bible and not just teach everyone English.
In order to accurately translate a word, you have to look at the whole sentence or paragraph that it occurs in; it’s not enough just to look in the dictionary to see what the word could mean and take your choice.
Madagascar: What’s in a name?
Why Madagascar is two syllables short of what it should be.
Let’s stop using the word “literally” when we talk about Bible translation; it literally makes my blood boil!
In Official Malagasy the word hazo means ‘tree’ or ‘wood’, but in the Tandroy language, the only meaning of hazo is ‘coffin’!
Pentecost, Babel and Diversity
Sometimes people say that at Pentecost, God reversed the Tower of Babel, but that is exactly what He didn’t do. At Pentecost, God underlined the linguistic diversity that He introduced at Babel.
How group photographs and the use of language reflects some changes in the mission world.
MANI: Impressions
Some initial reflections on a pan-African missions’ conference, including some important lessons for other conference organisers!