Tag: Related Expressions

Categories
Theocratic

hémù

hémù+ ({[is] harmonious} 和睦) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

Appendix A2 of the English New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition), entitled “Features of This Revision”, discusses vocabulary changes that have been made in the current revision, words that have been translated differently than before. As noted in various entries in the excellent resource Referenced Theo. Expressions (RTE), Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) correspondingly discusses words that have been translated differently in the current revision of the Mandarin NWT Bible, compared to how they had been translated before.

Since we base what we say in Jehovah’s service on his Word the Bible, the vocabulary used in it—and the way those vocabulary words are translated—should be reflected in how we speak in our ministry, at our meetings, etc. So, it is beneficial for us Mandarin field language-learners to be familiar with the latest thinking from the organization on how Bible terms should be translated into Mandarin.

Peace Is Multifaceted

One of the matters that Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) discusses is how several translations sometimes use the terms “píng’ān (píng’·ān {[is] flat, level, even → [[is] peaceful]} · {[is] safe, secure} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to things being smooth and stable, safe and secure, free of danger) 平安)” and “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平)” in ways that don’t really fit the context, considering the relatively narrow meanings of these terms.

A previous MEotW post discussed why “ānníng ({being peaceful}; {being tranquil} 安宁 安寧)” was selected to be used in Galatians 5:22 in the current version of the Mandarin NWT Bible, when the previous major revision used “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平)” there. Now, we will consider a couple of examples of how this week’s MEotW, “hémù ({[is] harmonious} 和睦)”, is used in the current version of the Mandarin NWT Bible.

Peace and Harmony in Romans 3:17

First, note how the Parallel Translations (Yìběn (Yì·běn Translated · {Roots → [Editions]} → [Translations] 译本 譯本) Duìzhào+ (Duì·zhào {Facing → [Comparing]} · {Illuminating → [Comparing/Contrasting]} → [Comparing/Contrasting] 对照 對照) in Mandarin) feature of the Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY shows us that in Romans 3:17, the current version of the Mandarin NWT Bible uses “hémù ({[is] harmonious} 和睦)” to replace “píng’ān (píng’·ān {[is] flat, level, even → [[is] peaceful]} · {[is] safe, secure} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to things being smooth and stable, safe and secure, free of danger) 平安)”:

Romans 3:17 (WOL CHS+Pinyin Parallel Translations)

Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) explains that “píng’ān (píng’·ān {[is] flat, level, even → [[is] peaceful]} · {[is] safe, secure} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to things being smooth and stable, safe and secure, free of danger) 平安)” mainly refers to things being smooth and stable, safe and secure, free of danger. In contrast, “hémù ({[is] harmonious} 和睦)” refers more specifically to being harmonious, making for peaceful relations with God and our fellow humans.

Peace and Harmony in Ephesians 2:14

Next, note that in Ephesians 2:14, the current version of the Mandarin NWT Bible uses “hémù ({[is] harmonious} 和睦)” to replace “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平)”:

Ephesians 2:14 (WOL CHS+Pinyin Parallel Translations)

Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) explains that “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平)” mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict. In contrast, “hémù ({[is] harmonious} 和睦)” is used here in a more positive and precise way to refer to the peaceful harmony and unity that the Christ makes possible for “shuāngfāng+ (shuāng·fāng (the) two · {directions → [parties]} 双方 雙方)”, “the two groups”, Jews and non-Jews.

Categories
Theocratic

ānníng

ānníng+ ({being peaceful}; {being tranquil} 安宁 安寧) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

The third part of the fruitage of the spirit listed is peace.— Jiālātàishū (Jiālātài·shū Galatia · Book → [Galatians] 加拉太书 加拉太書) 5:22, 23.

Galatians 5:22, 23 (WOL nwtsty-CHS+Pīnyīn)

As shown above, the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) translates the English word “peace” using this week’s MEotW, “ānníng ({being peaceful}; {being tranquil} 安宁 安寧)”.

Inner Peace, to Be Precise

Using the handy Parallel Translations (Yìběn (Yì·běn Translated · {Roots → [Editions]} → [Translations] 译本 譯本) Duìzhào+ (Duì·zhào {Facing → [Comparing]} · {Illuminating → [Comparing/Contrasting]} → [Comparing/Contrasting] 对照 對照) in Mandarin) feature of the Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY, we can see that the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) translates the English word “peace” in Galatians 5:22 differently than the previous major revision (bi12) did:

Galatians 5:22, 23 (WOL CHS Parallel Translations)

Why was “ānníng ({being peaceful}; {being tranquil} 安宁 安寧)” selected to be used in Galatians 5:22 in the current version of the Mandarin NWT Bible, when the previous major revision used “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to an absence of war or conflict) 和平)” there? Appendix A2 of the current Mandarin version of the New World Translation Bible (nwtsty) explains that “hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平)” mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict. However, even in a situation in which there is no hépíng (peace | {[is] peaceful} (nwtsty-CHS Appx. A2 says this term mainly refers to the absence of war or conflict) 和平), God’s holy spirit can still help people to maintain the spiritual quality of ānníng ({being peaceful}; {being tranquil} 安宁 安寧) in their hearts—inner peace.

For some more information on “ānníng ({being peaceful}; {being tranquil} 安宁 安寧)” and how it is used in the current Mandarin NWT Bible, see the entry for it in the Cíyǔ Jiěshì+ ((Cí·yǔ Terms · Words 词语 詞語) (Jiě·shì {Untyings → [Solvings]} · Explainings 解释 解釋) → [Glossary]) (Simplified Chinese with optional Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音)) in the Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY.

Categories
Culture Language Learning Languages Science

yǔzú

yǔzú+ (yǔ·zú language · {ethnic group → [group of things with common characteristics] → [group]} 语族 語族) ← Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

While “language family” seems to be a commonly accepted linguistic term, there does not seem to be universal consensus on what terms to use for subdivisions of language families. This is suggested by the wording used in the Wikipedia article on language families, under the subheading “Structure of a family”:

Language families can be divided into smaller phylogenetic units, conventionally referred to as branches of the family because the history of a language family is often represented as a tree diagram. A family is a monophyletic unit; all its members derive from a common ancestor, and all attested descendants of that ancestor are included in the family. …

Some taxonomists restrict the term family to a certain level, but there is little consensus in how to do so. Those who affix such labels also subdivide branches into groups, and groups into complexes.

So, it seems that one common—but not universal—language classification scheme is:

  • family > branch > group > complex…

In contrast, noted American sinologist and University of Pennsylvania Professor of East Asian Languages and Civilizations Victor H. Mair, in his article “The Classification of Sinitic Languages: What Is ‘Chinese’?” (p. 749), sets out a slightly different language classification scheme:

  • family > group > branch > language > dialect

The Mandarin Word for “Language Group”

Regardless of whether we consider language families to be first subdivided into branches or into groups, an accepted and acceptable Mandarin translation for “language group” is this week’s MEotW, “yǔzú (yǔ·zú language · {ethnic group → [group of things with common characteristics] → [group]} 语族 語族)”, as Prof. Mair confirms in the article (p. 747) mentioned above.

If “zú (clan; race; tribe; {ethnic group}; nationality [→ [class or group of things or people with common characteristics]] 族)” seems familiar, perhaps that is because it occurs in some fairly well-known scriptures. For example, the 2019 Edition of the Mandarin New World Translation Bible translates “every nation and tribe and tongue and people” in Revelation 14:6 as “měi (every 每) ge ([mw] 个 個/箇/个) guózú+ (guó·zú national · {ethnic group} → [nation] 国族 國族), bùzú+ (bù·zú sectional · {ethnic group} → [tribe] 部族), yǔyán (yǔ·yán language · {(type of) speech} 语言 語言), hé (and 和) mínzú+ (mín·zú {(of) people} · {ethnic group} → [people] 民族)”.

The Mandarin Word for “Language Branch”

For reference, the Mandarin word for “language branch” is “yǔzhī+ (yǔ·zhī language · branch 语支 語支)”, as Prof. Mair confirms in the article (p. 747) mentioned above.

It’s interesting to note that according to Prof. Mair’s article (p. 737) mentioned above, not only are Mandarin and Cantonese separate languages (not just “dialects”), it would be more accurate to consider them to be in separate language branches, as defined by the language classisification scheme he uses:

Cantonese and Mandarin are separate languages. Cantonese is not a ‘dialect’ of Mandarin or of Hanyu, and it is grossly erroneous to refer to it as such. Since Cantonese and Mandarin are separate languages (or, perhaps more accurately, separate branches), it is wrong to refer to them as ‘dialects.’ The same holds for Hokkien, Shanghainese, and so forth.

That Mandarin and Cantonese should really be considered to be in separate language branches emphasizes to us politically neutral Mandarin field language learners that we must not repeat or be misled by the politically motivated erroneous assertion that Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, etc. are just dialects of “Chinese”. That might be even more wrong than saying that English, French, Spanish, etc. are just dialects of “European”!