Language, Translation, and Meaning in the Book of Mormon

In the Book of Mormon, Nephi lamented at one point:

And now I, Nephi, cannot write all the things which were taught among my people; neither am I mighty in writing, like unto speaking; for when a man speaketh by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men. (2 Nephi 33:1)

There is a challenge inherent in writing, as Nephi sensed — making sure the words are chosen in a way that not only conveys the meaning and intent of the author's thoughts, but also minimizes the chance of misinterpretation. In spoken communication, there are usually chances to include more subtle nuances of meaning in gestures and emphasis, to validate the transfer of meaning by follow-up conversation, and to clarify or expand when necessary. But normally when something is written, the writer and the reader are separated by distance and time.

On the other hand, I've sometimes thought that Nephi's concern was not fully valid, and we could modify his statement to read, "for when a man writeth by the power of the Holy Ghost the power of the Holy Ghost carrieth it unto the hearts of the children of men." I believe it's possible for a man (or woman) to not only speak by the power of the Holy Ghost, but to write by that power, and then to have that same spirit carry meaning unto and into the hearts of a worthy and seeking reader.

There's an additional aspect to this challenge, however. Often words are recorded in one language but then translated into another, and making sure the meaning is conveyed properly during the translation process is more of a challenge than might be expected.

This process is often straight-forward and clear, when there are similar words and concepts between the two languages. But for more complex concepts, or for two cultures that are dramatically different, challenges arise. Sometimes there is no direct parallel in the target language to a word that is clear in the source language, and an accurate translation requires a multiple words to explain. In some cases the word has a literal translation that conveys nothing of the actual meaning. Some examples of words in other languages that don't have simple parallels in English:

• Portuguese "saudade" - feeling or an emotional state of melancholic or profoundly nostalgic longing for a beloved yet absent something or someone.
• Tshiluba language of Congo "ilunga" - a person who is ready to forgive any abuse the first time it occurs, to tolerate it the second time, but to neither forgive nor tolerate a third offense.
• Japanese "wabi-sabi" - a way of living that emphasizes finding beauty in imperfection, and accepting the natural cycle of growth and decay.
• German "Bulemielernen" - literally means “bulimic learning,” used to describe the process of cramming for a test and then immediately forgetting everything the next day.
• Inuit "Iktsuarpok" - a feeling of anticipation when waiting for a visitor that results in frequent trips outside to see if they are approaching.
• Yaghan language of southern South America "Mamihlapinatapei" - a look two people exchange who both are too shy to initiate anything but who both wish the other would initiate something. 
• Portuguese cafuné - to tenderly run one’s fingers through someone’s hair.

Objects more unique to a location, or complex concepts that develop in one location, are unlikely to have counterparts in other languages. So the work of the translator can be challenging. Translators can be swayed by their biases, they can misinterpret the source concepts - mistakes can occur.

There's a tremendous value in having the source language available when you are considering translated material. It enables you to go back to explore subtleties of meaning and intent, in order to clarify the real meaning of a word or passage. Linguists often take advantage of that kind of research and verification.

The Book of Mormon, however, provides us a challenge. In the 1820s, Joseph Smith created an inspired translation of the original text, from the ancient source language to English. But we do not have access to, or knowledge of, that ancient language. Because of how it occurred, we have only the words of the English text. We trust that the translation was appropriate and careful. But as we carefully consider individual words of the English text, I think we can gain some interesting insights. That is the intent of this blog.

When I encounter an interesting word or concept, I like to ask myself some questions:

- what did the word mean in Joseph Smith's time? In the almost 200 years since the English text was originally recorded, some words and concepts in English have evolved and changed. We have a great tool to help with this: the 1828 Webster's Dictionary.

- insights come when you ask, what else might have the translator said instead? how is this word or phrase unique from similar ones that might have been employed?

- is the word or phrase used similarly, or differently, in other passages in the book?