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A list of decisions as to how to translate some senses of the source language words and phrases into another language is called a Translation Glossary (TG). Such a device is especially useful when more than one person works on the same project, because it helps keep everyone using the same English terms.
However, a TG cannot be foolproof, because the source will often use some words to signal more than one sense, depending on context. A TG is therefore a glossary of word senses, not a glossary of words. Check back often to this page, because this TG is likely to develop for the entire life of the Unfolding Word project.
Note that occasionally, the TG's specified translation will not be suitable. As always, the text editors must remain in control of the decision-making process. The TG is to guide you as much as is possible. If you must depart from the TG guidelines, do so and insert a note to that effect.
Translation Glossary for the ULB Preferred English renderings appear in bold type.
brethren should be updated to brothers. When both genders are indicated by the context, a note from the Notes Team should be expected to appear to that effect. Do not replace the ULB text with "brothers and sisters." That change will appear in the UDB. Call in the ASV usage "call his name": update to "call him [+ name]" or "name him [+ name]." Call in the formula of the type, "he shall be called the Son of the Most High" (Luke 1:32): keep this formula in the ULB, but be aware of the metaphor that is operative here: in this verse, Jesus will not only be called the Son of the Most High, but he will be the Son of the Most High. Hand indicating power or possession: keep this metaphor in the ULB. Sentence-initial or preverbal and of the type, "and Joseph said," "and it came about," etc.: translate these without supplying "and." These occurrences of "and" in the ASV and its derivatives usually occur where the ASV translates the preverbal Greek particle kai or the Hebrew *vav * in the *wayyiqtol * verb form. The Greek particle kai was usually a Hebraism on the part of the New Testament writers that reflected their understanding that the Hebrew *wayyiqtol * form contained the conjunctive vav 'and.' This, however, was a misunderstanding, for modern scholarship has shown that the wayyiqtol form was a frozen form with parallels in cognate Semitic languages; it was the preferred Hebrew verb form for signaling event verbs in Hebrew narration. Good English style does not normally allow sentences to begin with "and." Only rarely is it allowable in the ULB, for dramatic effect. Otherwise, when you are tempted to start a sentence with "and," change the preceding period to a comma. Shall versus will : in English future expressions in general, use "will" instead of "shall," e.g., "he is a prophet, and he shall will pray for you" (Gen 20:7). Note that some ASV future expressions are better updated into today's English by using the present tense, e.g., "I shall not drink from...the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come" (Luke 22:18) can be updated to "I will not drink...until the kingdom of God comes." Cases in which "shall" expresses obligation can usually be restructured, e.g., "You shall not steal" becomes " Do not steal," and "Shall I go and smite these Philistines?" (1 Sam. 23:2) becomes "**Should ** I go and attack these Philistines?" This general preference for "will" probably conforms to the instincts of most English native speakers. However, in genres such as prophecies, blessings, curses, and in other passages focusing on the expression of the speaker's intentionality, retain the use of "shall" in the ULB, e.g., "Yahweh said, 'Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do...?'" (Gen 18:17), "A deliverer shall come to Zion," "every mountain and hill shall be made low." Translation Glossary for the Old Testament ULB wayehi "It came about," "It happened that..." hinneh "Behold" (when used in normal narrative passages or in narrative embedded in direct speech, such as when Joseph tells his brothers what happened in his dreams). In conversational passages, translate *hinneh * as, "look," "see," "see here," or something else suitable for signaling that what immediately follows in the text is prominent. Some conversational contexts may make it almost impossible to give any translation at all of hinneh. – However, in direct reported speech of God or his angel, you may use "behold," especially if it lends more dignity in English to the divine words than "look" or "see," etc., would do. adam (ASV: man, men) When referring to humanity in general, use "mankind." YHWH Yahweh (The ASV uses "Jehovah," but we will not.) Meshiach "Messiah" (almost always, "the Messiah," since "Messiah" is a title) Expressions of the type, "he knew his wife" or "he went into his wife" should be reproduced as is. The context makes their meaning clear. In speech introductions that use two verbs instead of one such as, "he answered and said," please retain this formula in the ULB. This will provide a model for languages which also separate the mode of speech from the act of speech, as does Biblical Hebrew. In the UDB for the same issue, only one verb will be used. Translation Glossary for the New Testament ULB nomikos "expert in the Jewish law" grammateus "scribe" egeneto de, kai egeneto "It came about" (See: "Sentence-initial or preverbal and" above). idou "Behold" (when used in normal narrative passages or in narrative embedded in direct speech. In conversational passages, translate idou preferably as, "look," "see," "see here," or at need as something else suitable for signaling that what immediately follows in the text is prominent. Some conversational contexts may make it almost impossible to give any translation at all of idou. – However, in direct reported speech of God or his angel, you may use "behold," especially if it lends more dignity in English to the divine words than "look" or "see," etc., would do. anthropos (ASV: man, men) When referring to humanity in general, use "mankind." Messiah This term sometimes appears in the NT in transliterated Greek. In this case, this term should be translated, "Messiah." Xristos "Christ" or "the Christ" (the definite article is appropriate if the term is being clearly used as a title; Paul often seems to use *Xristos * as a second name for Jesus, but at times he clearly uses it as a title). gospel gospel will be used in most cases in the ULB, while the UDB will use "good news." hagioi When referring to people, "holy people or God's holy people." When referring to heavenly beings, "holy ones."