Introduction
next lesson: Consultant Notes
this lesson in video format: Lesson 1 videos
Where are we?
You want to prepare for a verification session. Before starting to work you want to arrange your windows for optimal work on exegesis.
Why is this important?
Each Paratext user should arrange the workplace to best suit their needs. It is also important to know what resources are available and how to arrange them.
What we will do
In this lesson we are going to learn how to open resources (Bibles and manuals) and source texts and related tools. We will learn how to configure and open a text collection window. We will learn how to save arrangements for different purposes and then restore them quickly.
Additional Materials:
text_combinations_and_text_collections.pptx
warren_11c_source_texts_and_values.pdf
Exercises
Exercise 1 : Open the Interlinear Greek/English source text
Start Paratext, then close all open windows. From the menu bar at the top, set the Scripture reference to Matthew 2:1. From the Window menu, select Stacked 2 Column. This option causes Paratext to arrange the windows automatically, but still leaves room for customization.
To open the Source Language Text, click on the Hebrew letter א on the toolbar at the top. The Greek interlinear text opens (Hebrew or Greek will be chosen depending on whether you are in the Old or New Testament).
You can also open this window from the file menu by selecting open source language text. The source language texts are available in two groups:
- HEB/GRK : OT, NT – Hebrew and Greek
- LXX/GRK : OT, NT – Septuagint and Greek
Choose the first option, HEB/GRK – Hebrew and Greek. Now click somewhere in interlinear text to activate the window and then click on the view menu. You have the option to choose what you want to see:
- Transliteration - to see the transliteration of the Greek text in Latin characters
- Lemmas - to see the base form of each word
- Forms - to see the grammatical conjugation of the word
- Glosses - to see the English translation of each word
- Word Info - to see information about the word, including much of the above in the status bar at the bottom left of the window when the cursor is over the word.
Exercise 2: Open the NIV Bible
Click on the open folder icon at the top in the toolbar and you will see the list of all the projects and resources available in Paratext. Find NIV and click select it.
Alternately you can go in the file menu and select open projects/resource. You'll see the same list of available resources. Select the NIV and click OK.]
Now your screen should look like this:
Exercise 3: Open a text collection
From the file menu, select Open Project/Resource in Text Collection.
In the dialog box Select Texts, double-click on each version you would like to add starting with the most literal versions. For example: NRSV, NIV, NLT, a vernacular translation, and of course a translation in your language if it exists. Each text that you choose is added to the list on the right.
You can reposition the selected texts by raising them or lowering them in the window through the help of the arrows that are found to the right. You can also remove a text from the list by double-clicking on it.
You can reposition the selected texts by raising them or lowering them in the window through the help of the arrows that are found to the right. You can also remove a text from the list by double-clicking on it.
A text collection can be saved for later use by typing a name for it in the text box at the top left and clicking on the save button.
Now you may click OK to open the text collection. Your screen should now look like this:
Now click on the NIV underlined in blue. You'll see another window open on the right that will show you the context of the verse in the NIV Bible. Click on the NLT in the left pane and you will see the context of the NLT shown on the right. This is helpful to view many translations without taking up too much screen space.
Exercise 4: Open a Commentary
To open a Commentary, you follow the same procedure for opening a Bible.
In Paratext, both the Translator’s Handbook, and the Translator’s Notes series are now available in reference windows. If they are not available, you will need to either download them from the Paratext website or copy them from a thumb drive if you are attending a workshop.
Open the Translator's Handbook for Matthew. Your screen should look like this:
Now you decide that you would prefer to see the text collection below the Greek interlinear text. To move the window is simple: click on the title bar of the text collection window, drag it and drop it on top of the window below. Automatically, the two windows will swap places.
Exercise 5: Save your Window combination
Save your arrangement by clicking on the Windows menu, then Save text combination. Name your combination something you'll remember it by and click on OK.
Congratulations, you have finished lesson one. If you have any time left over please help your neighbor.
