Monday, 28 July 2008
Jamaican Creole Translation Consultant Responds
Dr Ronald Ross, United Bible Societies translation Consultant for the Jamaican Creole Translation Project, repsonds to the conern articulated by Rev'd Peter Espeut re the hegeomy of Kingston and the "Patois" Bible. To read Ron's response, click here.
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Get Your Facts Straight!
The Observer, one of Jamaica's most read newspapers, has published some factual errors in regards to the Jamaican Creole Translation Project. Here are the ones I've detected:
- On 16th June the paper reported that Rev’d Courtney Stewart is the “UBS' general secretary.” Absolutely not! Rev’d Stewart is the General Secretary of the Bible Society of the West Indies.
- On 16th June the Observer indicated that the source language for the translation is English. Today, 26th June, the paper even went as far as to spell out the precise English translation the Society will use: the AV (KJV)!
- The paper also reported that 40% of the New Testament has already been translated. Rather 52% of the New Testament has received a first draft – the Synoptic gospels, John and Romans. Bible translation is a complex task and a first draft is just the start! Each book will need exegetical and language checks, community testings, reviewings, back-translations and consultant and consistence checkings before the text is recorded. Where Bible translation is concerned, a biblical book cannot be said to have been “translated” in the proper sense of the word without these requirements being met satisfactorily. (So much for those who believe the Jamaican Project is a trivial endeavour).
Wycliffe UK's Director Bloggs on Jamaican Project
Eddie Arthur, Director of Wycliffe Bible Translators, UK, has published a blogg entry on the Jamaican Creole Translation Project. To read Eddie's post, entitled "Stirring It Up In Jamaica," go ya so (here).
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Christianity Today To Feature Jamaican Project
The Evangelical Christian magazine, Christianity Today, will be featuring an article on the Jamaican Creole Translation Project in the in the September issue of the magazine!
In an e-mail correspondence with John Roomes, Executive Director of Wycliffe Bible Translators, Caribbean, said, “This is indeed major. It is testimony of the Jamaican impact across the globe. This should say something to all of us and begin to discover God’s own purpose in setting up this nation called Jamaica.”
Galang de, Jamieka, mi likl lan a ud aa waata!
To read Christianity Today's article on the Gullah Nyew Testament, click here.
You might also find this link of interest.
In an e-mail correspondence with John Roomes, Executive Director of Wycliffe Bible Translators, Caribbean, said, “This is indeed major. It is testimony of the Jamaican impact across the globe. This should say something to all of us and begin to discover God’s own purpose in setting up this nation called Jamaica.”
Galang de, Jamieka, mi likl lan a ud aa waata!
To read Christianity Today's article on the Gullah Nyew Testament, click here.
You might also find this link of interest.
2 Days 2 Smiles
So far, two things have given me much pride this week. The first is that I made my first ever apple crumble, using our Jamaican Otaheite Apple! It is lovely with icecream and or cream - ask my wife, who was, at first, expressed uncertainty about my concoction! ("Yes maasa," I heard her muttered rather sardonically in a low voice, "wata nais sinting yu a go kuk nou!" Well, yesterday, she chided me for having devoured most of the "singting" - after she had tasted it herself, of course!)
The second thing that put a smile on my face is a paragraph in an occasional papar which I've been reading. The article was written by Professor Hubert Devonish and Dr Karen Carpenter of the Jamaica Language Unit at the University of the West Indies, Mona. It is entitled Full Bilingual Education in a Creole Language Situation: the Jamaican Bilingual Primary Education Project and is published by the Society for Caribbean Linguistics (February 2007). On page 22 of the article one reads,
"The UWI is conducting the dual language education in three schools because of Mrs. Linton and two of us from WBTC who in 2003 went to the then minister of education and declared that we disagreed with the government’s language policy. The minister virtually overturned the policy and we brought the UWI in to retake their place in taking the language back into our schools. Out of this a relationship has developed with the UWI. We later insisted that they be made part of the partnership for the translation."
The second thing that put a smile on my face is a paragraph in an occasional papar which I've been reading. The article was written by Professor Hubert Devonish and Dr Karen Carpenter of the Jamaica Language Unit at the University of the West Indies, Mona. It is entitled Full Bilingual Education in a Creole Language Situation: the Jamaican Bilingual Primary Education Project and is published by the Society for Caribbean Linguistics (February 2007). On page 22 of the article one reads,
“In Jamaica, the first step in the process that resulted in the BEP [Bilingual Education Project] came from an initiative my Mrs. Faith Linton, a retired educator who had been active in the process of Bible Translation into Jamaican...the Bilingual Education Project, was inspired by the commitment and daring shown in the Linton initiative” (emphasis mine).Last month, John Roomes, Executive Director of Wycliffe Caribbean, sent me an e-mail which contained the following:
"The UWI is conducting the dual language education in three schools because of Mrs. Linton and two of us from WBTC who in 2003 went to the then minister of education and declared that we disagreed with the government’s language policy. The minister virtually overturned the policy and we brought the UWI in to retake their place in taking the language back into our schools. Out of this a relationship has developed with the UWI. We later insisted that they be made part of the partnership for the translation."
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Gad A Taak Patwa
Mi Gad!
Elp mi Maasa Jiizas!
At laas dem fain out
Se Yu taak ina patwa tu.
Yu Baibl de pan di tiep,
An dem se vagabanjri
An wotlisnis gwai mash op Jamieka
Fi gud nou!
Mi neba did nuo se
A ongl Im wait pikni dem langwij Gad spiik?
Wat a blesin Maasa Jiizas,
Se yu did baan ina animal pen
An iz di ignarant shiip faama
Di ienjel wan dem tel
An iz kliera Iijip wid yu pierents dem
Yu run go ton refujii.
Mek wi si a uu go tun
Vagaban an wotlis!
Aal a we bos di patwa
Wen we bok we tuo.
Plenti a wi baan puor laik Maasa Jiizas
A fi aal Jamieka taim nou.
Wat a preke!
E.A.A.
Source: Daily Gleaner Sept 8, 1996
Elp mi Maasa Jiizas!
At laas dem fain out
Se Yu taak ina patwa tu.
Yu Baibl de pan di tiep,
An dem se vagabanjri
An wotlisnis gwai mash op Jamieka
Fi gud nou!
Mi neba did nuo se
A ongl Im wait pikni dem langwij Gad spiik?
Wat a blesin Maasa Jiizas,
Se yu did baan ina animal pen
An iz di ignarant shiip faama
Di ienjel wan dem tel
An iz kliera Iijip wid yu pierents dem
Yu run go ton refujii.
Mek wi si a uu go tun
Vagaban an wotlis!
Aal a we bos di patwa
Wen we bok we tuo.
Plenti a wi baan puor laik Maasa Jiizas
A fi aal Jamieka taim nou.
Wat a preke!
E.A.A.
Source: Daily Gleaner Sept 8, 1996
The Hegemony of Kingston & the Jamaican Bible
To me, it seems as if many Jamaicans will not accept/appreciate a reality unique to us – one that isn’t shared elsewhere. I have found this to be true in regards to our language and its varieties. Thus, in speaking to persons about Jamaican Creole, I’ve always found it helpful to point out that within any (sizable) speech community there are several language varieties or “dialects.” So, in Britain, for example, inhabitants of Birmingham speak a dialect of English different from that of Sunderland, and the dialect in Cardiff differs from that of Edinburgh – the list goes on almost indefinitely for within these groups there are sub-groups.
“Im a go se;” “Im gwai se;” “Im wi se;” and “Im o se” are four different ways of expressing “future tense” in Jamaican Creole – depending on your geographical location. Now, even the “ordinary” Jamaican “knows” there are dialects of Jamaican Creole; however, believe it or not, no one has ever done a systematic study of the Island’s dialect variety. All that the University of the West Indies’ Jamaican Language Unit has got is a superficial projection of what these verities are and where they are located! I found this surprising given the fact that Jamaican is one of the most researched Caribbean English Creoles – and perhaps the most prestigious.
What has all this got to do with the Jamaican Creole Translation Project? Well, not a few persons would like to see their dialects reflected in the translated text; however, they are fearful the Bible Society will adopt a “Kingston dialect” variety. If this language policy is adopted, it is believed, the Bible Society will be asserting the hegemony of Kingston – a problem “country” people (including myself) have had with “Kingston” for a very long time. By adopting a “Kingston dialect” (uptown?) the Bible Society will be in danger of alienating the rest of Jamaica.
On 16th July 2008, the Jamaica Gleaner published an article by Rev’d Peter Espeut, a sociologist and a Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church. In his article (never mind the factual errors for now), Rev’d Espeut cautions that “an uptown St Andrew Creole Bible, the Mona Version” may defeat their Bible Society’s purpose. Peter posed a pertinent question: “If the idea is to reach the Jamaican people with a creole Bible, which Jamaican people will be targeted?” He challenges the translators (by “translators” I guess he is referring to the Bible Society) “to avoid the obvious pitfall of the creation of an urban uptown Creole Bible. Do not be afraid of using deep rural expressions. Like at Pentecost, rural people need to hear God's Word in their own language too.”
How will be Bible Society of the West Indies go about addressing this issue? Can we learn anything from other translation projects? – for certainly, there is nothing new under the sun. It is important that a solid research project be undertaken in order to ascertain the distinctions which exists, so that the Society can address the issue intelligently and make allowance for me and my fellow “rural people” who “need to hear God’s Word in their own language too.”
“Im a go se;” “Im gwai se;” “Im wi se;” and “Im o se” are four different ways of expressing “future tense” in Jamaican Creole – depending on your geographical location. Now, even the “ordinary” Jamaican “knows” there are dialects of Jamaican Creole; however, believe it or not, no one has ever done a systematic study of the Island’s dialect variety. All that the University of the West Indies’ Jamaican Language Unit has got is a superficial projection of what these verities are and where they are located! I found this surprising given the fact that Jamaican is one of the most researched Caribbean English Creoles – and perhaps the most prestigious.
What has all this got to do with the Jamaican Creole Translation Project? Well, not a few persons would like to see their dialects reflected in the translated text; however, they are fearful the Bible Society will adopt a “Kingston dialect” variety. If this language policy is adopted, it is believed, the Bible Society will be asserting the hegemony of Kingston – a problem “country” people (including myself) have had with “Kingston” for a very long time. By adopting a “Kingston dialect” (uptown?) the Bible Society will be in danger of alienating the rest of Jamaica.
On 16th July 2008, the Jamaica Gleaner published an article by Rev’d Peter Espeut, a sociologist and a Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church. In his article (never mind the factual errors for now), Rev’d Espeut cautions that “an uptown St Andrew Creole Bible, the Mona Version” may defeat their Bible Society’s purpose. Peter posed a pertinent question: “If the idea is to reach the Jamaican people with a creole Bible, which Jamaican people will be targeted?” He challenges the translators (by “translators” I guess he is referring to the Bible Society) “to avoid the obvious pitfall of the creation of an urban uptown Creole Bible. Do not be afraid of using deep rural expressions. Like at Pentecost, rural people need to hear God's Word in their own language too.”
How will be Bible Society of the West Indies go about addressing this issue? Can we learn anything from other translation projects? – for certainly, there is nothing new under the sun. It is important that a solid research project be undertaken in order to ascertain the distinctions which exists, so that the Society can address the issue intelligently and make allowance for me and my fellow “rural people” who “need to hear God’s Word in their own language too.”