L28j Presentation

3/13/2009

Bible Translation

Schedule of Events • 5:00-5:15 – Bible Translation – the concept behind it • 5:15-5:30 - Videos • 5:30-5:45 – Bible Translation – the process behind it • 5:45-6:05 - Translation Exercise • 6:05-6:15 - Presentations & Review

Into ‘Minority’ Languages

• 6:15-6:20 – Break Presenter: Bertram Gayle (Jr) Co-ordinator, JCTP

• 6:20-6:40 – JCTP: An Introduction • 6:40-6:50 – Q & A

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The Concept Behind BT

What’s a Minority Language?


From a Purely non-Christian Perspective


Try formulating your own definition!

Socio-economic liberation & empowerment
Preservation, standardisation & stabilisation of languages
Language development
Opportunity for systematic study
Cultural enrichment & preservation


Was your definition setting specific?
Eg: for the purposes of the European Charter for

Regional or Minority Languages: "regional or minority languages" means languages:
traditionally used within a given territory of a State by nationals


Enhancing & sustaining a sense of identity & worth

of that State who form a group numerically smaller than the rest of the State's population; and
different from the official language(s) of that State.


Facilitating literacy -information booklets, documenting

traditional cultural knowledge...


Within SIL/WBTI, “minority language” refers to:
One of the thousands of languages of the world that typically does not enjoy official status, long histories of being written, wide geographic distribution, etc.


Spin off products of Vernacular Bibles capitalised on by

musicians, poets, drama writers, etc.
Change attitudes – towards language / language 3

users…..justice

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The Concept Behind BT (cont’d)

The Concept Behind BT (cont’d)
From a Christian Perspective

Bible Translators see BT as a double-edged sword!
Primarily
spiritual nourishment
Secondarily
maintaining life and improving the quality of people’s material existence

“…go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them…teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…” (Matt 28:19-20)!
Evangelism

The Good News re: Jesus, the Christ New churches: Mexico, Philippines, PNG, Brazil, etc…
Discipleship
BT has not kept us with Evangelism
Feeding the Bibleless Church
Growth, nurture, development, maturity (cf 2 Tim 3:16ff).



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Videos 1. The Ultimate Goal
The glory of God
The Joy of all Peoples

The Translation

2. A Flower Unfolds

Process


Suriname Javanese NT

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The Process behind BT

The Translation Process

• For pioneer translators, BT isn’t the beginning!
Language Survey
Language acquisition
Linguistic description • Phonetics & Phonology • Orthography • Grammar • Lexicography
Cultural description • Anthropology – religion, politics, economics, etc…
Bible Translation
Literacy / Scripture Use (eg. ethnomusicology)

12: Final read-through 11: Final editing 10: Testing and reviewing 9: Consultant check 8: Back-translation 7: Preliminary testing 6: Key biblical terms 5: Team check 4: Keyboarding 3: Supplementary helps 2: Drafting 1: Exegesis 10 9

Translation Exercise!!!

Translation Guidelines 1. Read the section in two different versions (5 mins)

Translate Luke 10:25-37 into idiomatic Jamaican Creole

a. Choose one version that is more literal


• This passage comes early in the third division of Luke.

that follows the structure of the original language text closely,

b. and one that is more meaning based


Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem.
He is preparing his disciples for the time when he will no




longer be with them.

that aims to communicate the meaning as effectively as possible.

2. Translate into idiomatic Jamaican Creole (10 mins)


Notice the reference to Samaria in

Luke 9:51-56.

3. Test your translation with several speakers of your target 11

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Translation Guidelines (cont’d)

Translations in Review


Make mental or written notes of what was hard to translate, and where you needed to make adjustments to the form of the text to make the translation communicate well and appropriately:


Do you think translating a biblical text is more difficult


Did you use footnotes?
Did you have to explain cultural items?
Did you need to change idioms, metaphors or figures of speech?
What other adjustments did you make?


What testing activities did you use to improve your

than translating a ‘secular’ test?
Did you learn anything from doing this exercise? What?
What can you do in the future to make this task easier?

translation?
What kind of changes did you make as a result of the

testing?
Anything else?

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Jamaican Creole Translation Project

BREAK 15

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JCTP: An Introduction
Part of Worldwide Movement
BT in ethnolinguistic minority communities




WBTI has helped to translate 740 NTs and Bibles rep. over 82m! 6,486 WBTI personnel; presently working in 93 countries 1,998 programmes reaching 1.2b in progress


Caribbean Translations
7 completed Bibles: - Haitian, Yacatan, Papiamentu, Wai Wai, etc 1
16 completed NTs: -Aukan, St Lucian, Sranan Tongo, Gullah, etc 2
9 portions:- Pemon, Islander Creole English (San Andres), etc 3
5 in progress: - Akawaio, Guadeloupean, Wapishana, T&T Sign

Language, Jamaican, etc4

Meet the Current Team 17

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JCTP: An Introduction (cont’d)

JCTP: Challenges


The History of JCTP
1980 – a mandate and its findings
1985 – the turning point
1993 – the launch
Productions
“A Who Run Things” (June, 1996)
“Di Krismos Story” (December, 2003)
(52% of the NT translated)
Subsequent Projects
Luuk Buk Project
Jamaican Creole Translation Project (2008)


Linguistic
“Post-Creole Continuum”
Orthographical
Sociolinguistic
Socially under-appreciation
The Battle for functional domains


Lexicology
Format: Audio vs Written
Harmony vs Conflict Model 19

JCTP: Challenges (cont’d)

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Misconceptions Encountered As to:


Non-linguistic


what constitutes a language


Conflictual Translation Philosophies


the value of creole: backward


The Biblical Texts


the nature of creole: broken


Scripture Use


appropriate use of creole


Gap Bridging


the expense: acceptable if cheap


Public Awareness


the BT process 21

“Concerns” Encountered

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Career Opportunities!!!
Language Work


Religious Concerns :
It demeans the Bible
Translation does not guarantee a conversion
Traditional translations have been of value


Developmental & Political Concerns:
Global competitiveness discouraged
Illiteracy and ignorance promoted

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Anthropology

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Arts Consultant

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Bible Translation

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Chronological Bible Storying


Promoting Creole is detrimental to SJE


Psychological Concern:
Creole reminiscent of a past one would rather forget

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Community Development

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Ethnomusicologist

7. Language Survey 8. Linguistic Computing 9. Literacy 10. Scripture Use 11. Training Language Workers 12. Vernacular Media

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References

Career Opportunities (cont’d)


Krieger, John., “Why is Bible Translation” ULR


Non-Language Work

http://www.ginesys.com/bibletranslation.htm


Clarke, David., Minority Language Status & Attitudes Toward Bible

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Admin / Management

9. Marketing / Media

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Archives / Exhibits

10. Medical Services

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Children's Education

11. Recruitment

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Finance

12. Telecommunications

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Government Relations

13. Training

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Hospitality

14. Transportation and


Graham, Barbara, The Attitudes of Jamaican Christians to the

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Operations

15. Lots more…!

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Information Tech


The Daily Observer – “The Patois Bible” – several articles
The Gleaner – “Patois Bible in Pan-African and Pan-Caribbean context”

Translation


Ross, Ronald., “Issues in Creole Language Translation”
European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, Strasbourg,

5.XI. 1992 ULR http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/Treaties/Html/148.htm
Wycliffe Int’l - Progress of Bible Translation Statistics 2008
Barnwell, Katharine., Bible Translation: An Introductory Course in

Translation Principles

Translation of the Bible into Jamaican Creole

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