diff --git a/translate/guidelines-historical/01.md b/translate/guidelines-historical/01.md index c54fdc9..d1c9735 100644 --- a/translate/guidelines-historical/01.md +++ b/translate/guidelines-historical/01.md @@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ To communicate well with historical accuracy, you need to remember two things: 1. The Bible is a historical document. The events of the Bible happened in the way that the Bible describes at different times in history. Therefore, when you translate the Bible, you need to communicate that these events happened, and do not change any of the details of what happened. 1. The books of the Bible were written down at specific times in history for people of a certain culture. This means that some things in the Bible that were very clear to the original hearers and readers will not be clear to those who read the Bible in different times and in different cultures. This is because both the writer and the readers were familiar with many of the practices that the writer wrote about, and so the writer did not need to explain them. We, from other times and cultures, are not familiar with these things, and so we need someone to explain them to us. This kind of information is called "implicit (or implied) information." (see [Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information"](../figs-explicit/01.md)) -as translators, we need to translate the historical details accurately, but also provide some explanation when we think that our readers will need it so that they can understand what the translation is about. +As translators, we need to translate the historical details accurately, but also provide some explanation when we think that our readers will need it, so that they can understand what the translation is about. * For example, Genesis 12:16 refers to camels. For readers in parts of the world where this animal is unknown, it might be good to provide a description. The best way to do this is in a footnote, or in a glossary entry such as the one in translationWords. -Some explanation can be included in the text, as long as it is brief and does not distract the reader from the main point of the text. +Sometimes, an explanation can be included in the text, as long as it is brief and does not distract the reader from the main point of the text. * For example, the New Testament writers often referred to events in the Old Testament, but without explaining what they were referring to. They knew that their readers were very familiar with the Old Testament, and did not need any explanation. But it is possible that readers from other times and places will need some explanation. @@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ Maintain the historical accuracy of the message. Avoid referring to items and ev Remember: -* Keep true to the historical text. The original message, historical events, and cultural background information should all be the same as it was written in the source text. For example, the translation must not have the message rewritten so that events happened at a different place or time. +* Keep true to the historical text. The original message, historical events, and cultural background information should all be the same as it was written in the source text. For example, the translation must not have the message rewritten so that events happened at a different place or time. This includes using accurate geographical terms for topography, plant, and animal life. To keep the text historically accurate, the translator must find a way to translate "fig tree" and not just substitute "banana tree" because that is a type of tree familiar to his readers. To be sure, if fig trees are not a part of the environment of the target language, there may be no specific term for that kind of tree. Translators in these instances must work together to choose the best word. (It may be a borrowed word from the source language, a modification of a source language word, a combination of words to create a new term, or a generic term like "fruit tree.") * Communicate clearly by expressing the message in such a way that people in the Target Language culture will be able to understand the meaning that the original author intended to communicate. * Only provide additional information as needed to accurately communicate the intended message to people who do not share the same context and culture as the recipients of the original content.