OET interlinear 1COR 14:11

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

ἐὰν οὖν μὴ εἰδῶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς, ἔσομαι τῷ λαλοῦντι βάρβαρος, καὶ ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ βάρβαρος.

if therefore not ˱I˲_/may_have/_known the power ˱of˲_the sound ˱I˲_will_be ˱to˲_the_‹one› speaking /a/_foreigner and the_‹one› speaking with me /a/_foreigner

Here Paul is using a hypothetical situation to teach the Corinthians. He wants them to imagine that he is with somebody who speaks a language that he does not know. In this situation, he and the other person are “foreigners” to each other. Use a natural way in your language to introduce a hypothetical situation. Alternate translation: [Suppose, then, that I do not know the meaning of a specific language. In this situation, I am a foreigner to anyone who speaks that language, and anyone who speaks that language is a foreigner to me]

Note 2 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

ἐὰν οὖν

if therefore

Here, then could introduce: (1) an inference from the previous verse. In other words, if every language communicates meaning (14:10), then a person who does not understand that meaning is a foreigner to the person who speaks that language. Alternate translation: Therefore, if] (2) a contrast with the previous verse. In other words, although every language communicates meaning ([14:10), a person who does not understand the language cannot grasp that meaning. Alternate translation: [But if]

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-condition-hypothetical

ἐὰν οὖν μὴ εἰδῶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς

if therefore not ˱I˲_/may_have/_known the power ˱of˲_the sound

Here Paul uses the conditional form to show that not knowing the meaning of the language leads to being a foreigner to the one speaking that language. If the conditional form does not indicate a cause-and-effect relationship like this in your language, you could express the If statement in a way that does show the relationship. Alternate translation: [Then, whenever I do not know the meaning of the language] or [Suppose then that I do not know the meaning of the language. Then,]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / 123person

μὴ εἰδῶ & ἔσομαι & ἐμοὶ

not ˱I˲_/may_have/_known & ˱I˲_will_be & me

Here Paul uses the first person to give himself as an example. If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate the first person as a generic third person. Alternate translation: [somebody does not know … he or she will be … him or her]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / abstractnouns

τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς

the power ˱of˲_the sound

If your language does not use an abstract noun for the idea behind meaning, you can express the idea by using a verb such as “communicates” or “means.” Alternate translation: [what the language means]

Note 6 topic: translate-unknown

(Occurrence -1) βάρβαρος

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ἐὰν οὖν μὴ εἰδῶ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς φωνῆς ἔσομαι τῷ λαλοῦντι βάρβαρος καὶ ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ βάρβαρος)

Here, foreigner identifies someone with whom one does not share a culture and language. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express foreigner with a comparable term for someone who has a different language and culture. Alternate translation: [an outsider … will be an outsider]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / ellipsis

τῷ λαλοῦντι & ὁ λαλῶν

˱to˲_the_‹one› speaking & the_‹one› speaking

Here Paul omits some words that your language may require to make a complete thought. Paul omits these words because he stated them explicitly in the first clause (the language). If your language does need these words, you could supply them from that clause. Alternate translation: [to the one speaking the language … the one speaking the language]