Ambiguous Pronouns and Names: Tracking Participants in Biblical Passages using Referent Analysis

Tracking participants in most cases is a fairly straightforward task with names and explicit modes of reference unambiguously identifying the participants in the passage. However, some passages pose challenges due to common names, ambiguous pronoun usage, and alternate methods of referring to participants. These complexities can pose a significant burden for translators, who must decide when to instantiate participants, reiterate their presence, or use pronouns or other referring expressions. As Chafe notes: “The preferences for the frequency and amount of overt reference also vary from language to language, further complicating the matter for translators” (Chafe 1980).

To address these challenges, Clear Bible is developing data on pronominal and subject referents in the Hebrew Bible and Greek New Testament. This data can help identify both explicitly named and implied participants in a passage, ensuring that they are accurately represented in translations and other textual analyses. By leveraging this data to evaluate participants in a passage, translators can more effectively manage participant references and produce more accurate translations.