Techniques for translating the phrase תֵּבַת עֲצֵי־גֹפֶר and its Latin equivalent arca de lignis levigatis in Czech and Polish Biblical translations from the period from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century

Abstract

The subject of the analysis are the methods of translating phrases and arca de lignis levigatis in Czech and Polish biblical texts from the period from the 14th to the 16th century. The aim of the research is to show to what extent the lexical shape of the equivalents of these phrases in the mentioned translations was related to the choice of the translation basis, the translation tradition prevailing in a given circle, as well as the interpretations and explanations adopted for a specific place in the Bible.

The analyzes conducted in the article show that the authors of all Czech Bible translations avoid literal translations of the noun tebh and its Latin equivalent arca. Both Catholic and Protestant translators regularly render it through a noun koráb. This way of translation is also adopted by Catholic Polish Bibles, modeled on the Czechs. The state observed in the studied texts proves that the translating decisions were motivated not by the meaning of a noun from the Hebrew or Latin basis, but were related to possible depictions of Noah's ark in theological writings or even perpetuated in generally understood Christian culture.

Other solutions on the basis of Polish accept Protestant translations from the original languages, in which the constitutive element of the phrase make nouns archa and a chest, directly referring to the meaning of the noun from the translation basis.