diff --git a/jit/writing-background/01.md b/jit/writing-background/01.md index 9762508..63786cf 100644 --- a/jit/writing-background/01.md +++ b/jit/writing-background/01.md @@ -34,25 +34,25 @@ Background information can also be marked with words that tell the reader that t ### Examples from the Bible ->Hagar gave birth to Abram's son, and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. (Genesis 16:16 ULB) +>Hagar gave birth to Abram's son, and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram. (Genesis 16:16 ULB) -The first sentence tells about two events. Hagar gave birth and Abraham named his son. The second sentence is background information about how old Abram was when those things happened. +* The first sentence tells about two events. Hagar gave birth, and Abraham named his son. The second sentence is background information about how old Abram was when those things happened. ->Now Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age. He was the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli. (Luke 3:23 ULB) +>Now Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of age. He was the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli. (Luke 3:23 ULB) -The verses before Luke 3:23 tell about when Jesus was baptized. English uses the word "Now" to show that there is some kind of change in the kind of information being given. These sentences give background information about Jesus's age and ancestors. The story starts up again in chapter 4 where it tells about Jesus going to the wilderness. +* The verses before Luke 3:23 tell about when Jesus was baptized. English uses the word "Now" to show that there is some kind of change in the kind of information being given. These sentences give background information about Jesus's age and ancestors. The story starts up again in chapter 4 where it tells about Jesus going to the wilderness. ->Now it happened on a Sabbath that Jesus was going through the grain fields and his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them between their hands, and eating the grain. But some of the Pharisees said ... (Luke 6:1-2a ULB) +>Now it happened on a Sabbath that Jesus was going through the grain fields and his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them between their hands, and eating the grain. But some of the Pharisees said ... (Luke 6:1-2a ULB) -These verses give the setting of the story. The events took place in a grain field on the Sabbath day. Jesus, his disciples, and some Pharisees were there, and Jesus's disciples were picking heads of grain and eating them. The main action in the story starts with the sentence, "But some of the Pharisees said." +* These verses give the setting of the story. The events took place in a grain field on the Sabbath day. Jesus, his disciples, and some Pharisees were there, and Jesus's disciples were picking heads of grain and eating them. The main action in the story starts with the sentence, "But some of the Pharisees said." ->Now Deborah, a prophetess (the wife of Lappidoth), was a leading judge in Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came to her to settle their disputes. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali. (Judges 4:4-6 ULB) +>Now Deborah, a prophetess (the wife of Lappidoth), was a leading judge in Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came to her to settle their disputes. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali. (Judges 4:4-6 ULB) -In English, the parentheses and the verbs "was" and "used to" are clues that the first two sentences are background information. +* In English, the parentheses and the verbs "was" and "used to" are clues that the first two sentences are background information. >With many other exhortations also, he preached good news to the people. John also rebuked Herod the tetrarch for marrying his brother's wife, Herodias, and for all the other evil things that Herod had done. But then Herod did another very evil thing. He had John locked up in prison. (Luke 3:18-20 ULB) -John rebuked Herod for things Herod had already done. Also the verb "had" in "had done" shows that Herod did those things before John rebuked him. +* John rebuked Herod for things Herod had already done. Also the verb "had" in "had done" shows that Herod did those things before John rebuked him. ### Translation Strategies @@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ To keep translations clear and natural you will need to study how people tell st * For example when background information has action that was done habitually, it can be marked in English with the word "would." And to show that the events of a storyline are starting, a phrase expressing when those events occurred can be used. The example below uses "One day" for this. **Now Deborah, a prophetess (the wife of Lappidoth), was a leading judge in Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came to her to settle their disputes. She sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali.** (Judges 4:4-6 ULB) - * Now Deborah, a prophetess (the wife of Lappidoth), was a leading judge in Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel would come to her to settle their disputes. One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali. - + * Now Deborah, a prophetess (the wife of Lappidoth), was a leading judge in Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel would come to her to settle their disputes. One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali. + 1. Reorder the information so that earlier events are mentioned first. (This is not always possible when the background information is very long.) * **Hagar gave birth to Abram's son, and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.** (Genesis 16:16 ULB) * When Abram was eighty-six years old, Hagar gave birth to his son, and Abram named him Ishmael.