This is the first in my new series of Translations.
We are now translating Acts 6:8-15 into the Mamabu language, which hails from Papua New Guinea.
This story covers the arrest of Stephen. In the following section, he will become the first Christian Martyr.
Stephen = Səsəlki
First of all, we must translate the name Stephen.
Stephen comes from the Greek Stephanos (or Στεφάνος), and it roughly means crown.
In the original Greek, this is the crown made out of thorns and placed upon the forehead of Jesus Christ.
Στεφάνος comes from the Verb στεφο (or stepho), which means encircle.
Səsəlki, meanwhile, comes from the Manambu verb səlki, which means surround or tie around.
In Manambu, a Verb is turned into a Noun through Reduplication.
Hereafter, Stephen shall be known as Səsəlki.
was filled with grace and power = vyakətayakəd mayiryakəd
In the ancient Greek, this phrase does not include a Verb, thus I do not include one here.
More than many other verses in the Bible, this one is for reciting, not for reading.
Anyway, what have I done here?
Both these words contain the Fully Suffix -yakə.
This is an Intensifier.
Depending on context, English translations include: fully, exactly, right or even the Superlative Suffix –est.
On both occasions, it is followed by the Singular Masculine Suffix –d.
Whilst Greek has Masculine, Feminine and Neuter Gender, Manambu has only Masculine and Feminine.
In Manambu, the Gender of a Noun is determined by physical characteristics and their metaphorical extensions.
Large Nouns are Masculine, while small Nouns are Feminine.
The Manambu can use these deliberately. If a Feminine Noun is unusually large, then you can emphasise this by making it Masculine.
We will no doubt discuss Manambu Gender in greater detail as this translation progresses.
vyakəta means good or beautiful, whilst mayir means powerful spirit.
began to work = kurkwadədi
Four components build this fellow:
1. kur = a Verb which means do.
2. –kwa = the Habitual Suffix.
3. –də = the 3rd Person Singular Masculine Past Tense Suffix.
4. –di = the 3rd Person Plural Suffix.
By itself, this means something like he used to do them or he was doing them.
In Manambu, the Verb carries both Subject and Object marking, both of which appear as Suffixes.
miracles and great signs = nəma jijap
nəma means big, whilst jijap means various things.
I could not find any words for wonders or signs.
among the people = væyajaamaam
Four components build væyajaamaam:
1. væy = a Noun which means spear.
2. –a = the Epenthetic Suffix.
3. jaam = a Noun which means set of hereditary magical powers.
4. –aam = the Locative Suffix.
In traditional Manambu belief, væy is the Male component of a group’s social identity, and jaam is the Female component thereof.
In addition, jaam is typically conceived of as a womb – a counterbalance against the phallic væy.
(The shape of an object also contributes to its Gender assignment.)
The original Greek word was laos (λαος), which means people in general.
This is compared to demos (δημος), which refers to one’s own people.
Whilst my word probably leans more towards the latter, I feel that it captures the fear held (correctly) by the Pharisees: the breakdown of traditional Jewish power structures.
Within God exists not only every væy and jaam which currently exist, but every one that ever has existed and every one that ever will exist.
These are the rewards that you receive for serving the Lord, they come via the Holy Spirit, for you receive it on all levels of understanding.
The Pharisees wished to place all of the above under their own rule here on Earth.
I shall end this newsletter here; I am foreshadowing events that happen later in this section.
Outtakes:
miracles and great signs = nəmad jaamavæyad
nəmad is the Singular Masculine Declension of the Adjective nəma, which means big.
I could not find any words for wonders or signs.
Thus, I have created the compound jaamavæyad.
Five components build this word:
1. jaam = a Noun which means set of hereditary magical powers.
2. –a = the Epenthetic Suffix.
3. væy = a Noun which means spear.
4. –a = the Epenthetic Suffix.
5. –d = the Singular Masculine Suffix.
jaam is conceived of as a womb, and builds the Feminine half of group social identity.
væy is considered phallic, and builds the Masculine half of group social identity.
The Pharisees wanted to maintain earthly Jewish power – they placed this above following the Spirit of the Lord.
The Lord contains within Himself all Creation. This includes not only every jaam and væy which currently exist, but all those which could ever exist.