Wednesday 19 March 2008

Eschatology, Judgement, & Bible Translation (What about those who don't believe?)


I’ve been pondering the spiritual impact Bible Translation (BT) has had on hundreds of minority speech communities – non-Christians converted; believers discipled; the believers empowered to do its own theology biblically in order to meet its spiritual, physical, pastoral, social, political, cultural needs; the worship of God and the joy of believers; etc…I’ve also been thinking of the impressive positive by-products of BT – promoting linguistic diversity; acknowledging that each minority speaker is a bearer of the Imago Dei (image of God); conserving minority languages; standardising languages; providing opportunities for minority speech communities to become literate; causing marginalised people groups to have a more positive perception of themselves and their language; etc, etc…

For the last few days I’ve also been giving thought to the title of this blog – well, I’d been thinking about the relationship between BT and the judgment of unbelievers first; eschatology came afterwards. Hasn’t BT got a disheartening negative effect on hundreds of minority language speakers as well? Does it not bring judgement on (or rather confirm God’s justice in judging) those minority speech communities (or members of these communities) who reject the euangellion i.e. gospel concerning the Lord Jesus Christ? The translated Scriptures will not leave the unbelieving reader/hearer guiltless as the message (of the Kingdom) it has transferred into any heart language demands a response from its speakers – repent for the Kingdom of God, which has broken into our history in the person and work of Jesus, is at hand (Matt 3:2).

I’m reading to my Greek New Testament (GNT); this morning, I read a paragraph (Lk.10:1-12) which has again impressed on my mind the sure judgment of God on those who reject the message of the Kingdom. Luke’s first reference to the Kingdom is in chapter 6:20: the “poor” (in relation to this world’s goods & therefore marginalised, oppressed, etc or in spirit cf Matt 5:3 ???) are promised a blessing because “the Kingdom of God” belongs to them; the reference to the Kingdom in 7:28 is also positive; it’s not so positive in 9:62 where giving one’s family priority over the Kingdom is discouraged – the King will not share one’s allegiance. 10:1-12, is mixed: Jesus tells his missionaries that their benediction (request for God’s blessing) will be experienced by those who receive their message re the Kingdom (v5-6) – positive sign and wonders testify of the Kingdom’s presence; however, no benediction and rejection is portion of those who reject the Lord’s messengers (v6d, 10ff). According to our Lord, those who does not welcome his messengers (and their message re the Kingdom) will receive a more severe punishment than Sodom (v12)!

In fact, BT not only bear witness to the Incarnation of God; it also bears witness to God’s absolute conquest over every sickness (Lk.10:9); and His sure and righteous condemnation of those who refuse to submit to His Kingdom, which has invaded our history in the person and work of Jesus (Lk.10:6b,10ff).

I'm still thinking through these things. Any feedback?
(The above image shows John 1:1-8 in Papiamentu a language spoken in Netherlands Antilles by over 155,000 people.)

Monday 17 March 2008

Di Disaipl Dem Preyaz (Luuk 11:1-13)

1 Wan taim Jiizas wen de prie a waa plies. Aafta Ii don se ii prayaz, wan a Ii disaipl dem se tu Im, “Laad, tiich wi fi prie, jos laka ou Jan-i-baptis tiich fi’im disaipl dem” fi prie.”

2 So Jiizas se tu dem, "Wen unu prie, se:
‘Faada, mek piipl ha nof ripek fi yu niem,
Mek yu ruulaship kom.
3 Gi wi'i fuud wi niid fi it ebri die.
4 Figiv wi sin dem, fa wi figiv ebribadi ou sin gens wi tu.
No kya wi wichaat temtieshan de.’"


5 Den Ii se tu dem, “Supuozn wan a unu go tu ii fren iina miggl nait an se, ‘Fren, len mi trii bred de, 6 kaaz wan a mi fren dem we a paas chuu i ieria stap a mi yaad, an mi no ha nohtn fi ii nyam.' 7 [Ahn wa if] i fren ansa fraa iina ii ous (ahn se), “No bada mi. Mi lak mi duo aredi, ahn mi ahn mi pikini dem de a wi bed. Mi kyaa git-op fi gi yu [nohtn nou]'?

8 Mi tel unu, di man naa go git-op [outa ii bed] fi gi'im i bred, sieka dem a fren. Bot bikaaz ii no waa i piipl dem iina i komuuniti fi krai dong siem paa im, ii gwai git-op an gi ii fren ebriting ii aks fa."

9 So, mi a tel unu: "aks, ahn unu wi get; saach, ahn unu wi fain; nak, ahn i duo wi opng fi unu. 10 Fa ebribadi ou aks get; an i smadi ou saach faim; an fi'i smadi ou nak, I duo wi opin fi'im.

11 Wich faada de mongs unu a go gi'ii son waa shiek aalduo ii son aks im fi waa fish? 12 Ar gi'ii son waa skaapian, aalduo ii son aks im fi waa eg? 13 So den, ef unu kyaa bi so wikid ahn siem taim unu nuo ou fi gi unu pikni dem gud prezent, ou moch muo i Faada ina evn gwaii gi'i Uoli Spirit tu enibadi ou asks im?!”


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------I preached on this text yesterday at Grace Reformed Baptist church. I read the text in Jamaican (Patois) & delivered much of the sermon in Jamaican. Here are some of the responses I got:
  • Stimulating
  • Yu big wi op! (You've elevated us / made us feel important/respected/recognised)
  • Let's not be ashamed of our Patois
  • I rejista man, i rejista (It registered)
  • Mi kyaa tel di laas taim mi laaf iina choch (I can't remember when last I laughed in Church)
  • Very dynamic message
  • Unusual
  • A oup se yu kom bak (I hope you come again)

Wednesday 12 March 2008

The Translator's Creed

We believe that:

  1. In the past, God sent his Son - His Word - into this world to save us.
  2. Today, God wants to communicate with us by means of his written word, the Bible.
  3. The diversity of languages is compatible with the plan of God. He likes unity in diversity.
  4. As a vehicle to transmit God's message, no language is superior to another.
  5. The incarnation shows the way in which God communicates with us: he adapts to our level to reach us.
  6. To fully know our identity in Christ, we must integrate our past into what we are becoming in Christ - this includes our language, the symbol of identity.
  7. Christians cannot mature in their faith unless they have access to the Word in a language they understand.
  8. The Gospel must penetrate deeply the world view of each Christian, and that is most effectively done through the vehicle of culture - the mother tongue.
  9. No church can last for long without the written Word of God in a language understood by the believers.
  10. The more the Word of God is taught and used in the mother tongue by Christian communities, the stronger and more solid their faith will be. The more church leaders encourage the use of Scripture in the mother tongue, the more church members will take the initiative to read it, meditate on it, and share it with others.

(by Harriet Hill & Margrit Bolli, in: Ethno-Info No. 36, publ. by SIL AFA Anthropology Dept.)

READING and WRITING Jamaican - Finally!


What follows is a revision of the Cassidy and Le Page (CLP) spelling system developed in 1961. It was prepared by the Jamaican Language Unit at the University of the West Indies. The system is very easy to learn as it hasn't got any silent letters and each letter (and letter combination) is always pronounced the same way! So here goes!

SPELLING THE VOWELS
There are five short vowels; three long vowels; and four long vowels:

Short Vowel…. Jamaican Word….English Translation
i
……………………....sik…………………...........'sick’
e………………..........bed…………………..........'bed’
a……………………...bak…………………..........'back’
o……………………...kot…………………...........'cut
u……………………...kuk…………………..........'cook'

Long Vowel…. Jamaican Word….English Translation
ii…………………….tii…………………...........'tea'
aa…………………..baak………………..........'bark’
uu…………………..chuut……………...........'truth'

Double Vowels…. Jamaican Word….English Translation
ie…………………….......kiek………………….........'cake'
ai…………………….......baik………………….........'bike’
ou……………………......kou…………………….......'cow'
uo……………………......gruo……………………......'grow'

Vowel Marker = hn. This letter combination comes after the vowel in certain words and is used to mark wuch vowels as nasalised. Eg, Mi kyaahn kom. Do you recognise that funny sound at the end of the second word? Other words include: waahn, yaahn, iihn, etc...

When two vowels belong to two separate syllables, they are usually separated by the consonants 'y' or 'w.' Eg. lai + ad = laiyad... kou+ad = kouwad.


SPELLING CONSONANTS
Jamaican has got 22 vowels; 18 are single consonants; 4 are double consonants.

Consonants…. Jamaican Word….English Translation
b…………………….. biek………………….......'bake'
d……………….........daag…………………......'dog'
ch……………………choch…………………...'church'
f……………………....fuud……………………...'food'
g……………………...guot……………………...'goat'
h……………………..(can be used depending on where you live in Jamaica...eg hen or ..en)
j………………...........joj……………….............'judge'
k……………………...kait…………………........'kite'
l……………………....liin……………………......'lean'
m…………………….man……………………....'man'
n…………………….. nais………………….......'nice'
ng……………….......sing………………….......'sing'
p……………………...piil………………….........'peel' / 'peal'
r……………………...ron……………………......'run'
s……………………...sik…………………….......'sick'
sh……………………shap………………….......'shop'
t……………….........tuu…………………...........'two''
v……………………..vuot………………….........'vote'
w…………………….wail……………………......'wild'
y……………………..yong…………………….....'young'
z……………………..zuu…………………….......'zoo'
zh…………………..vorzhan…………………..'version' (j can be used as well eg, vorjan)

You would have noticed that several letters are not in Jamaican - no q, instead use k(w) eg kwiz (English quick); no x, instead use ks eg. siks (English 'six'); no single c, instead use k
eg kuul not cuul (English 'school'); or represent the sound by using s as in piis (English 'piece / peace').

Now practice reading Jamaican by reading my prelim translation of the 23rd Psalm.

Monday 10 March 2008

Laad, Mi Kyaa Tek I No Muo?!

Wa mek Baibl chanslieshan so aad? (Why is Bible translation so difficult?) John Krieger answers the question for us - particularly as it relates to pioneer translators. Visit http://www.ginesys.com/bibletranslation.htm

Thankfully, many of the problems pioneer translators face are not a bother to translators of the Jamaican Language Project. Here is a list of the reasons why this is so:
1. the translators are mother-tongue speakers; they have already acquisition the language;
2. much study has already been undertaken in regards to the phonemic, phonological,

morphological, and grammatical structures of the Jamaican; and
3. about 52% of the NT has already been translated into Jamaican – though this work is in need of revision.

The question as to “how” the meaning of the original is to be translated into Jamaican accurately and naturally, however, remains a huge concern.

Wednesday 5 March 2008

VISION 2025


In addition to being faith principled, international, growing, innovative, and changing Wycliffe Bible Translators is Visionary.


Oh, Yes! By 2025, together with partners worldwide, Wycliffe aims to see a Bible translation programme begun in all the languages that need one!