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78 lines
5.2 KiB
Markdown
78 lines
5.2 KiB
Markdown
### Description
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All languages have ways of showing that the same person fills two different roles in a sentence. English does this by using reflexive pronouns. These are pronouns that refer to someone or something that has already been mentioned in a sentence. In English the reflexive pronouns are: “myself,” “yourself,” “himself,” “herself,” “itself,” “ourselves,” “yourselves,” and “themselves.” Other languages may have other ways to show this.
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#### Reason This Is a Translation Issue
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* Languages have different ways of showing that the same person fills two different roles in a sentence. For those languages, translators will need to know how to translate the English reflexive pronouns.
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* The reflexive pronouns in English also have other functions.
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### Uses of Reflexive Pronouns
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* To show that the same person or things fills two different roles in a sentence
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* To emphasize a person or thing in the sentence
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* To show that someone did something alone
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* To show that someone or something was alone
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### Examples From the Bible
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Reflexive pronouns are used to show the same person or thing fills two different roles in a sentence.
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> If **I** should testify about **myself**, my testimony would not be true. (John 5:31 ULT)
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> Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and **many** went up to Jerusalem from the country before the Passover in order to purify **themselves**. (John 11:55 ULT)
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Reflexive pronouns are used to emphasize a person or thing in the sentence.
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> **Jesus himself** was not baptizing, but his disciples were. (John 4:2 ULT)
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> So they left the crowd, taking Jesus with them, just as he was, in the boat. There also were other boats with him. Then a violent windstorm arose and the waves were breaking into the boat so that the boat was already full of water. But **Jesus himself** was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. (Mark 4:36-38a ULT)
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Reflexive pronouns are used to show that someone did something alone.
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> When Jesus realized that they were about to come and seize him by force to make him king, he withdrew again up the mountain **by himself**. (John 6:15 ULT)
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Reflexive pronouns are used to show that someone or something was alone.
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> He saw the linen cloths lying there and the cloth that had been on his head. **It** was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a place **by itself**. (John 20:6b-7 ULT)
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### Translation Strategies
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If a reflexive pronoun would have the same function in your language, consider using it. If not, here are some other strategies.
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(1) In some languages people put something on the verb to show that the object of the verb is the same as the subject.
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(2) In some languages people emphasize a certain person or thing by referring to it in a special place in the sentence.
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(3) In some languages people emphasize a certain person or thing by adding something to that word or putting another word with it.
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(4) In some languages people show that someone did something alone by using a word like “alone.”
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(5) In some languages people show that something was alone by using a phrase that tells about where it was.
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### Examples of Translation Strategies Applied
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(1) In some languages people modify the verb to show that the object of the verb is the same as the subject.<br>
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> If I should testify about **myself** alone, my testimony would not be true. (John 5:31)
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> > “If I should **self-testify** alone, my testimony would not be true.”
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> Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country before the Passover in order to **purify themselves**. (John 11:55)
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> > “Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out from country before the Passover in order to **self-purify**.”
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(2) In some languages people emphasize a certain person or thing by referring to it in a special place in the sentence.<br>
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> **He himself** took our sickness and bore our diseases. (Matthew 8:17 ULT)
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> > “**It was he who** took our sickness and bore our diseases.”
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> **Jesus himself** was not baptizing, but his disciples were. (John 4:2)
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> > “**It was not Jesus who** was baptizing, but his disciples were.”
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(3) In some languages people emphasize a certain person or thing by adding something to that word or putting another word with it. English adds the reflexive pronoun.<br>
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> But Jesus said this to test Philip, for he **himself** knew what he was going to do. (John 6:6)
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(4) In some languages people show that someone did something alone by using a word like “alone.”<br>
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> When Jesus realized that they were about to come and seize him by force to make him king, he withdrew again up the mountain **by himself**. (John 6:15)
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> > “When Jesus realized that they were about to come and seize him by force to make him king, he withdrew again **alone** up the mountain.”
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(5) In some languages people show that something was alone by using a phrase that tells about where it was.
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> He saw the linen cloths lying there and the cloth that had been on his head. It was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a place **by itself**. (John 20:6b-7 ULT)
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> > “He saw the linen cloths lying there and the cloth that had been on his head. It was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up and lying **in it’s own place**.”
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