Monday, February 29, 2016

Counting in The Jungle

Let's check out Matthew 16:10.


Or the 4,000 I fed with seven loaves, and the large baskets of leftovers you picked up?

Per usual, the disciples have said something dumb and Jesus is calling them out on it. This time, when Jesus was trying to make a point, they were going on about how they forgot to bring bread, and Jesus was all, hello! Haven't I proven that I can manage lunch? Remember that one time...? and that other time.... ?
This verse is in reference to that other time. 


Ok so after I ask my endless list of questions, I ask a final question:
Do you see anything that you want to change to make this more clear, accurate, or natural?

And there was!
While the Tok Ples (language of the of village) was accurate and clear in communicating how many loaves Jesus started with, it wasn't sweet

Did you know?
Many languages that developed in small communities
had little to no reason to count higher than their fingers.
As a result, their words for numbers revolve around their fingers
and less around "numbers" as we think of them. 

The current translation read "two and two and two and one", which of course together is 7. But it was a little long... 
The suggested change was for "one hand and two". After a bit of discussion to see if it worked, this was deemed natural and concise. 
This is how they would say it. 
This was sweet

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