Meturgeman

A meturgeman was an official translator and interpreter in Jewish communal settings where scripture was read publicly. When the Hebrew text was read aloud, the meturgeman rendered it into Aramaic, the everyday spoken language of many listeners. This translation was not strictly word-for-word. It often included brief explanation or clarification to make the meaning clear. The role of the meturgeman helped preserve understanding of the biblical text at a time when Hebrew was no longer widely spoken, and it played an important part in the development of interpretive traditions reflected in the Targums.