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56 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
56 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
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### Description
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An idiom is a figure of speech made up of a group of words that, as a whole, has a meaning that is different from what one would understand from the meanings of the individual words. It has a special meaning to the people of the language or culture who use it; someone from outside of the culture usually cannot understand an idiom without someone inside the culture explaining its true meaning. Every language uses idioms.
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### Reasons this is a translation issue
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* People can easily misunderstand idioms in the original languages of the Bible if they do not know the cultures that produced the Bible.
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* People can easily misunderstand idioms that are in the source language Bibles if they do not know the cultures that made those translations.
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* It is useless to translate idioms literally (according to the meaning of each word) when the target language audience will not understand what they mean.
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* Sometimes people may be able to understand an idiom from another culture, but it might sound like a strange way to express the meaning.
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### Examples from the Bible
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> But when the young son <u>came to himself</u> ... (Luke 15:17)
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* The idiom "came to himself" means that he began to think sensibly. He understood his situation.
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> ... he ... <u>threw himself</u> into the sea. (John 21:7)
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* The idiom "threw himself" means that he quickly dived or jumped down into the water.
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> robbers, who ... beat him, and left him <u>half dead</u>. (Luke 10:30)
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* The idiom "half dead" means that he was injured so badly that it appeared that he might die soon.
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>Let these words <u>go deeply into your ears</u> ... (Luke 9:44 ULB)
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* This idiom means "Listen carefully and remember what I say."
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>My <u>eyes grow dim</u> from grief ... (Psalm 6:7 ULB)
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* This idiom means that he cried bitterly for a long time.
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### Translation Strategies
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If the idiom would be clearly understood in your language, consider using it. If not, here are some other options.
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1. Translate the meaning plainly without using an idiom.
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1. Use a different idiom that people use in your own language that has the same meaning.
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### Examples of Translation Strategies Applied
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1. Translate the meaning plainly without using an idiom.
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* **But when the young son <u>came to himself</u> ...** (Luke 15:17 ULB)
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* But when the young man began to think clearly
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* **... he ... <u>threw himself</u> into the sea.** (John 21:7 ULB)
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* ... he <u>dived</u> into the sea.
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1. Use an idiom that people use in your own language that has the same meaning.
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* **Let these words <u>go deeply into your ears</u> ...** (Luke 9:44 ULB)
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* <u>Be all ears</u> when I say these words to you ...
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* **My <u>eyes grow dim</u> from grief ...** (Psalm 6:7 ULB)
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* I cry my <u>eyes out ...</u>
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