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Description
A speaker or writer can use exactly the same words to say something he means as completely true, as generally true, or as a hyperbole. This is why it can be hard to decide how to understand a statement.
- It rains here every night.
- The speaker means this as literally true if he means that it really does rain here every night.
- The speaker means this as a generalization if he means that it rains here most nights.
- The speaker means this as a hyperbole if he wants to say it rains more than it actually does, usually in order to express a strong attitude toward the amount of rain, such as being annoyed or being happy.
Hyperbole: This is a figure of speech that uses exaggeration. A speaker deliberately describes something by an extreme or even unreal statement, usually to show his strong feeling or opinion about it. He expects people to understand that he is exaggerating.
Generalization: This is a statement that is true most of the time or in most situations that it could apply to. Sometimes when people use strong-sounding words like "all," "always," "none," or "never," they mean exactly "all," "always," "none," or "never." But when people use these words in a generalization, they simply mean "most, "most of the time," "hardly any" or "rarely."
Reasons this is a translation issue
- Readers need to be able to understand whether or not a statement is completely true.
- If readers realize that a statement is not completely true, they need to be able to understand whether it is a hyperbole, a generalization, or a lie. (Though the Bible is completely true, it tells about people who did not always tell the truth.)
Examples from the Bible
Examples of Exaggeration
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed ... (Mark 9:43 ULB)
- Jesus used hyperbole to show how extremely important it is to stop sinning. He did not mean that people should actually cut off their hand, but that we should do whatever we need to do in order not to sin.
The Philistines gathered together to fight against Israel, with thirty thousand chariots, six thousand men to drive the chariots, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. (1 Samuel 13:5 ULB)
- The author of 1 Samuel used hyperbole to show that there were many, many soldiers in the Philistine army. It showed the great danger that the Israelites were in.
They will not leave one stone upon another ... (Luke 19:44 ULB)
- When Jesus spoke about how Israel's enemies would destroy Jerusalem, he used hyperbole to show that Jerusalem would be terribly destroyed.
Examples of Generalization
Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians ... (Acts 7:22 ULB)
- Stephen used the word "all" in a generalization about Moses' education. It means that Moses learned much of what the Egyptians knew and taught, not every single thing.
They found him, and they said to him, "Everyone is looking for you." (Mark 1:37 ULB)
- Jesus' disciples used the word "everyone" in a generalization about who was looking for him. They did not mean that every person in the city was looking for him, but that many people were looking for him, or that all of Jesus' closest friends there were looking for him.
But as his anointing teaches you everything and is true and is not a lie ... (1 John 2:27 ULB)
- John used the word "everything" in a generalization about what God teaches his people. God teaches us about all things that we need to know, not about absolutely everything.
Do not assume that something is an exaggeration just because it seems to be impossible.
... they saw Jesus walking on the sea ... (John 6:19 ULB)
- God does miraculous things. Jesus really did walk on the sea.
Do not assume that the word "all" is always a generalization that means "most."
Yahweh is righteous in all his ways ... (Psalm 145:17 ULB)
- Yahweh is always righteous in everything he does.
Translation Strategies
If the exaggeration or generalization would be natural and people would understand it and not think that it is a lie, consider using it. If not, here are other options.
- Express the meaning without the exaggeration.
- For a generalization, show that it is a generalization by using a phrase like "in general" or "in most cases."
- For a generalization, add a word like "most" or "almost" to show that the generalization is not exact.
- For a generalization that has a word like "all," always," "none," or "never," consider deleting that word.
Examples of Translation Strategies Applied
- Express the meaning without the exaggeration.
- ... thirty thousand chariots, six thousand men to drive the chariots, and troops as numerous as the sand on the seashore. (1 Samuel 13:5 ULB)
- ... thirty thousand chariots, six thousand men to drive the chariots, and a great number of troops.
- For a generalization, show that it is a generalization by using a phrase like "in general" or "in most cases."
- The one who ignores instruction will have poverty and shame ... (Proverbs 13:18 ULB)
- In general, the one who ignores instruction will have poverty and shame ...
- When you pray, do not make useless repetitions as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words. (Matthew 6:7)
- When you pray, do not make useless repetitions as the Gentiles generally do, for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.
- For a generalization, add a word like "most" or "almost" to show that the generalization is not exact.
- The whole country of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. (Mark 1:5 ULB)
- Almost all the country of Judea and almost all the people of Jerusalem went out to him."
- Most of the country of Judea and most of the people of Jerusalem went out to him."
- For a generalization that has a word like "all," always," "none," or "never," consider deleting that word.
- The whole country of Judea and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. (Mark 1:5 ULB)
- The country of Judea and the people of Jerusalem went out to him.