2:88-Arabic: bal
2:88-Arabic: bal Arabic: bal . This particle defies uniform rendering into English by virtue of the range of functions it performs. Lane (p. 3039) has an excellent entry where he describes bal as primarily a particle of digression[...] it denotes emendation wherever it occurs in the case of negation or of affirmation . His comments go into some depth and explore the functions this particle performs in various contexts, and I refer the interested reader to those. I have been guided by Lane in terms of his analysis but not his usage in all cases. He was writing for a different time, and English has evolved since. However, by following Lane’s explanation of the particle’s function we can present a vehicle in the modern language for it. The primary function of bal is to interrupt narrative by means of negation or confirmation and then to digress (i.e. clarify along a new tack). The problem many translators have is that they use nay — wh...