Jctp Brochure

Book on How to Write Jamaican Creole Everyone at Jaspa’s workplace is talking about something they heard in the news. Jaspa: Mati, have you heard the news lately? Mati:

What? Indies finally beat England?

Jamaican Creole Translation Project

Jaspa: No sa! A wish…! It’s about Bible Society and di Patwa Bible…. Mati: Pat wa? I can’t read patwa! Sari! Jaspa: Well, they say it’s audio. So we’ll be able to listen it being read... Mati: They’ll also want to print it... Jaspa: Praps! But you can learn to read patwa now, yu know! Mati: We all write it differently, you know! Jaspa: No more, Misis! No more! Some a di people dem up a UWI have just pub lished a book on how to write it. I’ve just bought mine. Mati:

Oh! May I have a look?

PARTNER WITH US So far, the translation is resourced by qualified personnel and is informed by the best linguistic theory and practice. Nonetheless, we are in need of the following: 1. prayer partners - to pray for the project on a regular basis

Bible Society of the West Indies

Fi Wi Baibl

2. volunteers - to read the translated text and provide constructive criticisms 3. financial supporters - to help finance important aspects of the project such as public awareness. If you are able to assist us in any of the abovementioned areas, do contact us.

For further information contact: The Jamaican Language Unit Dep. of Language, Linguistics & Philosophy, UWI, Mona, Jamaica Phone: (876) 970-2953 E-mail: [email protected]. www.mona.uwi.edu/dllp/jlu/

Gad Wod iina Fi Wi Langwij BIBLE SOCIETY OF THE WEST INDIES 24 Hagley Park Plaza P.O. Box 146, Kingston 10, Jamaica W.I. Phone: (876) 926-2772, Fax: (876) 926 - 0334 E-mail: [email protected] www.biblesocietywi.org

Introducing the Jamaican Creole Translation Project Translating the Bible into indigenous Caribbean languages goes as far back as the 1700s. It was not until 1980 that serious consideration was given to translating the Bible into Jamaican Creole. In that year, the United Bible Societies (UBS) commissioned its regional leaders to conduct a survey of all the major languages of the world with over 1 million speakers who do not have the Scriptures in their mothertongue. To the Society’s utter amazement, Jamaica had

2 million creole speakers who did not have any form of Bible translation in their heart language. Here’s how things progressed since the discovery: 1985: The Turning Point - A Jamaican Christian social worker relates to Bible Society of the West Indies (BSWI) the positive impact of communicating with Jamaicans in Creole.

CD Cover of Di Krismos Story

1993: The Launch - January 15-16. Dr Fehderau and Rev’d William Edwards meets with 13 persons to explore the scope and direction of a Jamaican Creole Bible.

PROJECT GOALS

INTENDED AUDIENCE

To produce an accurate and acceptable translation of the Holy Scriptures (of the New Testament first and then of the Old Testament) into idiomatic Jamaican Creole. The final product will be suitable for use in areas such as evangelism, discipleship, individual/ group recreational listening, youth ministry and broadcasting.

The Jamaican Creole Translation Project is aimed at Jamaicans (at home and in the Diaspora) from different social, educational religious and regional (urban and rural) backgrounds.

TRANSLATION TYPE In translating the Bible the Jamaican Creole Translation Project aims at reflecting the meaning of the best Hebrew and Greek texts available to us today.

MEDIUM OF DISTRIBUTION AND ACCESS The translation will be published first in audio format. There is an expectation that a print format will follow the initial release of the audio. The specific strategies as to the release of the print format will be developed in the future in conjunction with plans to translate the Old Testament. The audio format will include dramatic monologue, multi-voicing, full drama, poetry, chanting and song.

1996: A Who Run Tings - A dramatic audio production highlighting God’s power over all things is launched in Jamaica. 2003: Di Krismos Story - Second dramatic audio production, this time highlighting Jesus’ birth is launched in the UK, USA & Jamaica. 2007: The Luuk Buk Project - A third dramatic production of the book of Luke. It’s to be launched in autumn, 09. 2008: Jamaican Creole Translation Project - BSWI is granted financial support to translate the entire New Testament into Jamaican Creole.

TIME FRAME God willing, the New Testament will be launched in 2012. And there’s a very special reason for doing so. We’ll leave it up to you to figure it out! The Old Testament should be completed by 2018.

OUR TRANSLATORS

LANGUAGE STYLE One which is somewhat higher than the average spoken register, but not so high that it cannot be understood, memorised and recited by all segments of society. The text in Jamaican will not be loose, laughable, vulgar or slangy; at the same time, it will not be rigid and unnatural.

L-R: Jodianne Scott, Lloyd Millen, Tasheney Francis