Tuesday, the guardian.co.uk - one of the UK's major national broadsheet - published a column by Tim Footman entitled "The gospel according to Widdecombe - Those who don't want to see the Bible translated into patois need to clarify what they think Christianity is really about."
One of the things which makes Tim's article interesting is the fact that he's a self-proclaimed "athiest"!
To read Tim's column, go here....
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Martyn Lloyd-Jones: A Good Example for Translators
For the last few months, I’ve been reading Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ series of sermons on Ephesians – a wonderful book indeed. The topic of this morning’s sermon was “The Council of His Own Will” and is an exposition of (rather introduction to) Ephesians 1:11-14:
“1:11 In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will 1:12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, would be to the praise of his glory. 1:13 And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) – when you believed in Christ – you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, 1:14 who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory” (NET Bible).
Lloyd-Jones was well aware of the problems Bible passages can create for Christians - indeed each school of theology has to deal with what appears (at least on the surface) to be biblical contradictions of its basic tenets. Ephesians 1 is of no exception, particularly to those outside the “Reformed” camp.
As part of his introduction, Lloyd-Jones highlights several important points one ought to bear in mind (and act upon) if one would like to have a proper understanding of God’s revelation in Scripture. I summarise Martyn's points in the following imperatives:
1. Watch your prejudice;
2. Submit your mind to the Scriptures; and
3. Be careful of philosophising.
I believe it is imperative that Bible translators and consultants always bear these points in mind. One must be careful not to make a translation “fit” into one’s particular brand of theology one’s preferred worldview or whatever values, attitudes and thinking (on whatever subject) one is inclined to ascribe credence. Sure: One cannot avoid coming to Scripture neutrally, nevertheless, one can keep oneself in check and be glad to conform one’s thinking to divine revelation – though it can hurt.
“1:11 In Christ we too have been claimed as God’s own possession, since we were predestined according to the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will 1:12 so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, would be to the praise of his glory. 1:13 And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) – when you believed in Christ – you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit, 1:14 who is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of his glory” (NET Bible).
Lloyd-Jones was well aware of the problems Bible passages can create for Christians - indeed each school of theology has to deal with what appears (at least on the surface) to be biblical contradictions of its basic tenets. Ephesians 1 is of no exception, particularly to those outside the “Reformed” camp.
As part of his introduction, Lloyd-Jones highlights several important points one ought to bear in mind (and act upon) if one would like to have a proper understanding of God’s revelation in Scripture. I summarise Martyn's points in the following imperatives:
1. Watch your prejudice;
2. Submit your mind to the Scriptures; and
3. Be careful of philosophising.
I believe it is imperative that Bible translators and consultants always bear these points in mind. One must be careful not to make a translation “fit” into one’s particular brand of theology one’s preferred worldview or whatever values, attitudes and thinking (on whatever subject) one is inclined to ascribe credence. Sure: One cannot avoid coming to Scripture neutrally, nevertheless, one can keep oneself in check and be glad to conform one’s thinking to divine revelation – though it can hurt.
Monday, 13 October 2008
"Bible to be translated into 17th century West Indian slaves' language"
A very interesting title, huh? Well, that's the title of an article I found on http://www.newslocale.org/ earlier today.
Unfortunately, the article contains a number of factual errors and is somewhat misleading on a number of points.
More recent news on the Jamaican Project include:
Unfortunately, the article contains a number of factual errors and is somewhat misleading on a number of points.
More recent news on the Jamaican Project include:
- The Independent (UK) - Thank God for the Bible Society...!
- The Daily Telegraph (UK) - The Bible to be turned into Patois - 2nd article by this paper on the project!
- Express Buzz (India!) - The Bible to be Translated into Spoken Language
For more go here....
Monday, 6 October 2008
Presentation On Bible Translation In the Caribbean
I’ve been asked to do a presentation on Bible translation projects in the Caribbean to a group of level three students at the University of the West Indies (Mona), sitting a course called “Caribbean Dialectology” and who have to be aware of current linguistic developments in the Caribbean.
Their lecturer, a personal friend of mine who attended our recently held two week Translation Workshop, has set their major assignment on Caribbean Bible translation projects and is requesting that I speak to
1. the projects which have taken place or are taking place;
2. the challenges that these projects face/have faced (both linguistic and non-linguistic);
3. misconceptions and concerns which people had about the projects; and
4. the effects of the projects (success and non-success and the reasons for same).
Initially, the proposed date for the presentation based on the lecturer’s teaching schedule was 3rd October, however I was able to get a week’s extenstion; so the presentation is 10th October.
I do crave your prayers.
Their lecturer, a personal friend of mine who attended our recently held two week Translation Workshop, has set their major assignment on Caribbean Bible translation projects and is requesting that I speak to
1. the projects which have taken place or are taking place;
2. the challenges that these projects face/have faced (both linguistic and non-linguistic);
3. misconceptions and concerns which people had about the projects; and
4. the effects of the projects (success and non-success and the reasons for same).
Initially, the proposed date for the presentation based on the lecturer’s teaching schedule was 3rd October, however I was able to get a week’s extenstion; so the presentation is 10th October.
I do crave your prayers.
Friday, 3 October 2008
AKSHAN TAAK: News In Jamaican Creole!
This morning, I learnt that the Jamaican Language Unit (JLU) a Unit in the Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy, UWI, Mona, operates a company called “Jamaican Language company” (JLC). Yes, man - yu ier mi rait! (Well, I’ve not come across a detailed description of JLC. However, based on something I've heard on YouTtube, it seems to me both JLU and JLC are separate entities manned by the same persons.)
JLC, in association with JLU, has commenced a video production called AKSHAN TAAK (Action Talk), the first of which was published on YouTube recently. ASKSHAN TAAK, according to its facilitators “is a news commentary program done solely in Jamaican (More commonly referred to as Patwa or Jamaican Creole), which reports on how the media covers the news relevant to Jamaica and Jamaicans in general.”
One of the news presenters, Tasheney Francis, is one of the translators of the Jamaican Creole Translation Project.
The initial video, Olimpiks Rivyuu (Olympics Review), “looks at the recently held 2008 Olympic games and the different angles from which various media centers covered the phenomenal performance of the Jamaican athletic team.”
JLC, in association with JLU, has commenced a video production called AKSHAN TAAK (Action Talk), the first of which was published on YouTube recently. ASKSHAN TAAK, according to its facilitators “is a news commentary program done solely in Jamaican (More commonly referred to as Patwa or Jamaican Creole), which reports on how the media covers the news relevant to Jamaica and Jamaicans in general.”
One of the news presenters, Tasheney Francis, is one of the translators of the Jamaican Creole Translation Project.
The initial video, Olimpiks Rivyuu (Olympics Review), “looks at the recently held 2008 Olympic games and the different angles from which various media centers covered the phenomenal performance of the Jamaican athletic team.”
Monday, 29 September 2008
Harsh but True
"There are no primitive languages. The great and abstract ideas of Christianity can be discussed even by the wretched Greenlanders."
Harsh, huh?! Yet, I consider it a true statement, applicable to the Jamaican Creole Translation Project. I find the statement a reassuring one; even as we discuss amongs ourselves "key New Testament" terms and how to express them in Jamaican Creole.
The quote is from Johann Peter Suessmilch in An Introduction to Language by V. Fromkin, R. Rodman, etal (13:2007).
Harsh, huh?! Yet, I consider it a true statement, applicable to the Jamaican Creole Translation Project. I find the statement a reassuring one; even as we discuss amongs ourselves "key New Testament" terms and how to express them in Jamaican Creole.
The quote is from Johann Peter Suessmilch in An Introduction to Language by V. Fromkin, R. Rodman, etal (13:2007).
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Love 101 FM Host and the Jamaican Bible
Last night my wife disturbed my sleep in order to alert me to a call-in programme on our most listened religious radio station, LOVE 101. The night's topic was the "Patois Bible."
It was obvious that the host, Vivian Bonner, was against the project - one could easily detect a certain level aversion in his tone of voice, the manner in which he responded to supporters and the way in which he tried to represent the views of supporters when trying to engage non-supporters in conversation.
I was somewhat disturbed at Bonner’s depiction of the persons he projects would benefit most from the project - the “little man down there" (!), the person who doesn't understand English, the uneducated, the man in the ghetto, those who cannot understand meteorological jargon. I would question whether or not the “man up there” understands the Scriptures written in Elizabethan English – (the majority of Jamaicans prefer the AV). Moreover, Jamaican Linguist, F.C. Cassidy accurately states, “The Creole language, even for the most cultivated speaker...has a force of intimacy that the upper language can never offer” (quoted in Ross Issues in Creole Translation; 2003). To be fair, Bonner acknowledges the “forcefulness” of Jamaican and confesses he would support the project if it doesn’t lend itself to comedy, the subject of the next paragraph.
Bonner states that his primary objection to the Jamaican Creole Translation Project is the possibility of it being comical and thus reducing the sacredness of Holy Writ. (Now, where have I heard that before?) He even believes more Jamaicans would attend church just to hear the Scriptures read in Jamaican Creole (and preached from in Creole, I guess) but for a hilarious effect. It seems to me that Bonner’s argument is not based upon proper reasoning. Indeed, one must consider all the possible repercussions of embarking upon such a project as he insists; nonetheless, it doesn’t seem logical for one to abandon such plans because some persons might laugh. Does this reasoning seem reasonable: “B is a potential outcome of A therefore A is not to be embarked upon? If we were to live by this, principle, we would end up doing nothing.
Perhaps one could turn the argument on its head by arguing that persons will burst out in laughter on several occasions; however, I would like to suggest that such laughter would not manifest disrespect, rather joy of hearing God’s word read and preached in a way they had never heard it before. This kind of emotion evoked by mother-tongue Bibles is a phenomenon Bible translator have witnessed time and time again – it would not be peculiar to Jamaica.
Bonner’s concern is genuine; however it seems to me that it’s invalid because it’s constructed on a false understanding of languages in general and Jamaican in particular, a deficient acquaintance with issues surrounding the translating of the Bible into English (and Latin and German...) and a want in understanding of the basics of the theory and practice of (Bible) translation.
All of this reminds me of the Bible Society's need to develop an effective public awareness programme.
It was obvious that the host, Vivian Bonner, was against the project - one could easily detect a certain level aversion in his tone of voice, the manner in which he responded to supporters and the way in which he tried to represent the views of supporters when trying to engage non-supporters in conversation.
I was somewhat disturbed at Bonner’s depiction of the persons he projects would benefit most from the project - the “little man down there" (!), the person who doesn't understand English, the uneducated, the man in the ghetto, those who cannot understand meteorological jargon. I would question whether or not the “man up there” understands the Scriptures written in Elizabethan English – (the majority of Jamaicans prefer the AV). Moreover, Jamaican Linguist, F.C. Cassidy accurately states, “The Creole language, even for the most cultivated speaker...has a force of intimacy that the upper language can never offer” (quoted in Ross Issues in Creole Translation; 2003). To be fair, Bonner acknowledges the “forcefulness” of Jamaican and confesses he would support the project if it doesn’t lend itself to comedy, the subject of the next paragraph.
Bonner states that his primary objection to the Jamaican Creole Translation Project is the possibility of it being comical and thus reducing the sacredness of Holy Writ. (Now, where have I heard that before?) He even believes more Jamaicans would attend church just to hear the Scriptures read in Jamaican Creole (and preached from in Creole, I guess) but for a hilarious effect. It seems to me that Bonner’s argument is not based upon proper reasoning. Indeed, one must consider all the possible repercussions of embarking upon such a project as he insists; nonetheless, it doesn’t seem logical for one to abandon such plans because some persons might laugh. Does this reasoning seem reasonable: “B is a potential outcome of A therefore A is not to be embarked upon? If we were to live by this, principle, we would end up doing nothing.
Perhaps one could turn the argument on its head by arguing that persons will burst out in laughter on several occasions; however, I would like to suggest that such laughter would not manifest disrespect, rather joy of hearing God’s word read and preached in a way they had never heard it before. This kind of emotion evoked by mother-tongue Bibles is a phenomenon Bible translator have witnessed time and time again – it would not be peculiar to Jamaica.
Bonner’s concern is genuine; however it seems to me that it’s invalid because it’s constructed on a false understanding of languages in general and Jamaican in particular, a deficient acquaintance with issues surrounding the translating of the Bible into English (and Latin and German...) and a want in understanding of the basics of the theory and practice of (Bible) translation.
All of this reminds me of the Bible Society's need to develop an effective public awareness programme.