MAP — Modular Aggregation of Principles for Bible Translation

Extracted text from QualitiesOfaGoodTranslation.ppt:

Luke Partnership 2009

What is translation? What are we trying to do when we translate? Lets look at two translations from an Amharic text.

A sample translation Two thieves friend being together while stealing living, one day by the road having sat playing, one countryside for obeying tax carrying honey in a pot, pulling a ram coming they saw. At this time, they discussed to steal and one thief rose up and entered the forest. But one there on the road, I am hidden eye having said, rolled up and slept.

Another version Once upon a time there were two friends. They made their living by working together to rob people. One day, while they were sitting by the side of the road talking, they saw a man coming along the road leading a goat and carrying a pot of honey on his shoulder. He had been ordered to pay these as tax. The thieves decided to rob the man. One of them got up and ran into the forest to hide while the other lay down in the road and 4 pretended to be blind.

What were the problems with the first version? It was hard, or impossible, to understand. It was confusing and unclear.

Although the words were English, it did not sound like English. It was not natural. 5

So what qualities do you think a good translation should have? It should communicate the meaning of the original well. It should be clear and easy to understand. It should be in natural language 6

Qualities of a good translation

Accurate Clear Natural 7

Qualities of a good translation

Accurate Clear Natural 8

Accurate The translator must express the meaning of the original message as exactly as possible in the language into which he or she is translating.

Accurate A translation is inaccurate if the meaning of the translation is different from the original message.

This may include: Omission: part of the meaning is missing

Omission: is missing

part of the meaning

How is the meaning of the second sentence different from the first? Marys dress is too short for her. Marys dress does not fit her well.

The fact that her dress is too short is omitted from the second sentence.

Omission: is missing

part of the meaning

How is the meaning of the second sentence different from the first? John has a bad case of malaria.

John is very ill indeed.

The fact that John has malaria is omitted from the second sentence. 13

This may include: Omission: part of the meaning is missing Addition: something has been added to the meaning

Addition: something has been added to the meaning

How is the meaning of the second sentence different from the first? There are four rooms in the house.

There are four rooms in the house and a kitchen at the back.

The kitchen at the back was added in the second sentence.

Addition: something has been added to the meaning

How is the meaning of the second sentence different from the first? John spoke with his brother.

John spoke loudly with his brother.

Addition: something has been added to the meaning

How is the meaning of the second sentence different from the first? John spoke with his brother.

John spoke loudly with his brother. The fact that John spoke loudly was added in the second sentence. 17

This may include: Omission: part of the meaning is missing Addition: something has been added to the meaning Change: the meaning has been altered or twisted

Change:

the meaning has been altered

How is the meaning of the second sentence different from the first? There is a book on the table.

There is a book on the desk.

Change:

the meaning has been altered

How is the meaning of the second sentence different from the first? There is a book on the table.

There is a book on the desk. table has been changed to desk in the second sentence. 20

Change:

the meaning has been altered

How is the meaning of the second sentence different from the first? I bought vegetables in the market. I bought tomatoes and onions in the market. vegetables has been changed to something more specific: tomatoes and onions.

Exercise Work in groups on Chapter 5, Exercise 2 in the Bible Translation textbook.

Qualities of a good translation Accurate Clear

Natural

Qualities of a good translation Accurate Clear

Natural

Clear The translation should be understandable.

Clear We want people to understand what the text means. We also want to be sure that what they understand is the original meaning the author intended.

Clear You want the translation to be clear to the audience you are trying to reach. So you need to have the audience you want to reach clearly in mind. 27

Audience well-educated or less educated 28

Audience Christian or non-Christian 29

Audience men or

women 30

Audience young people or older people 31

Audience We want the translation to be clear to ALL of these people.

Qualities of a good translation

Accurate Clear Natural 33

Qualities of a good translation

Accurate Clear Natural 34

Natural Is this the kind of language our people use? Does it sound good? As some people say, is it sweet?

Is it lively and interesting? 35

What is a natural translation? A natural translation does not sound translated. It sounds like someone speaking in everyday language.

Why is this translation unnatural? This province invites and offers beautiful panorama, indigenous people, ancient megaliths spread over in three valley, white sand beaches, thick rain forest are waiting for those like adventure, the river are fantastic for boating, the clearest sleepy bluish Poso lake surrounded by beaches for exploring and pausing. 37

Sentence Length

Grammar

Word choice

Examples of unnatural translations

What examples have you seen of unnatural translations?

Natural

Translators tend to carry over the grammar and idioms of the language from which they are translating. 39

Comparing different kinds of translations Luke 3:8 Greek text translated word-for-word into English:

poisate oun karpon do/make/produce therefore fruit axion ts metanoias fit/appropriate of-the repentance 40

Comparing translation A. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance (KJV) B. Bear fruit that befits repentance C. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. (NIV) D. Do something to show that you have really given up your sins. (CEV) 41

(RSV)

Comparing translation E. Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. (NLT) F. Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. (GNB)

Comparing translations What are some differences you notice in these translations?

A. Bear fruit that befits repentance

(RSV)

B. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance (KJV)

C. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. (NIV) D. Do something to show that you have really given up your sins. (CEV) E. Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. (NLT)

F. Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. (GNB) 44

A. Bear fruit that befits repentance

(RSV)

B. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance (KJV)

C. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. (NIV)

D. Do something to show that you have really given up your sins. (CEV) The three translations E. Prove by the way you live above keep fruit asthat a you have really turned your sins and turned figure from of speech to God. (NLT)

F. Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. (GNB) 45

A. Bear fruit that befits repentance (RSV) The three translations below drop B. Bring forth therefore meet this figure of speech fruits in order to for repentance (KJV) express the meaning more clearly.

C. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. (NIV)

D. Do something to show that you have really given up your sins. (CEV) E. Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. (NLT)

F. Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. (GNB) 46

A. Bear fruit that befits repentance

(RSV)

B. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance (KJV)

C. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. (NIV)

D. Do something to show that you have really given up your sins. (CEV) three translations E. Prove The by the way you live that you have more formal really above turnedsound from your sins and turned to and less natural. God. (NLT)

F. Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. (GNB) 47

A. Bear fruit that befits repentance

(RSV)

The three below sound B. Bring forth translations therefore fruits meet for more natural like everyday speech. repentance (KJV)

C. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. (NIV)

D. Do something to show that you have really given up your sins. (CEV) E. Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. (NLT)

F. Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. (GNB) 48

Two kinds of translation Some translations follow the form of the original language very closely.

We call these form-based or literal translations. 49

Two kinds of translation Other translators aim to express the exact meaning of the original message in a way that is natural and clear. We call these meaning-based translations. 50

Exercise Think of some of the Bible versions that you know. In small groups, discuss these translations. Are they literal or meaning based? Or somewhere in between? Work in groups on Exercise 5, in Chapter 5, of the Bible Translation textbook.

Two kinds of translation Which kind of translation will be best for the audience that you want to reach?

Which kind of translation is the best for your audience? In order to find the answer to that question, you will need to test your translation and get feedback.

Remember the goal A good translation must be

Accurate to the original Clear and understandable to the new audience

Natural and easy to read It must also be in a style that is Acceptable to the intended audience. 54

To discuss What may cause a translation to be unacceptable to the intended audience?

Qualities of a good translation Accurate Clear Natural Acceptable 56

Extracted text from QualitiesOfaGoodTranslation-Poster.ppt:

A GOOD translation expresses the exact meaning of the original, in a clear and natural way. A BAD translation expresses the wrong meaning, and is often unclear and unnatural. But the WORST translation of all expresses the wrong meaning in a clear and natural way.

Extracted text from QualitiesOfaGoodTranslation-LessonPlan.doc:

Translation principles

Lesson Plan Qualities of a good translation

Introduction: Tell a little about yourself and your experience in Bible translation. Start with a question: Why do we translate? Translate is hard work! Why go to all the trouble of making a translation? From discussion, draw out the fact that the purpose of a translation is to help people of another language understand a text that was originally written in another language. The aim is to communicate a message. Write this on the board in a place where you can keep pointing to it. 2. An example Here is the beginning of a story originally written in Amharic. I am going to read you an English translation: Two thieves friend being, together while stealing living, one day by the road having sat playing, one countryside for obeying tax carrying honey in a pot, pulling a ram coming they saw. At this time, they discussed to steal and one thief rose up and entered the forest. But one there on the road, I am hidden eye having said, rolled up and slept. Will people understand this story? Now listen to the next translation: The Two Thieves Once upon a time there were two friends. They made their living by working together to rob people. One day, while they were sitting by the side of the road talking, they saw a man coming along the road leading a goat and carrying a pot of honey on his shoulder. He had been ordered to pay these as tax. The thieves decided to rob the man. One of them got up and ran into the forest to hide while the other lay down in the road and pretended to be blind. What is the difference between these two versions? The first translated the Amharic words very exactly, word by word. What did the second version do? So what is translation? Translation is re-telling, as exactly as possible, the meaning of the original message in a way that speakers of the receptor language will easily understand. In a good translation, the words and expressions will be different, the grammar will be different, but the meaning will be the same.

If the translator follows too closely the grammar and the words of the original language, the translation will be unnatural and confusing, as in the first example above. It may even lead to the wrong meaning being understood. 3. A picture Have some (coloured) water in a glass jug. Have two or three glasses or different shaped glass jars. Pour the water from the jug into the glasses and jars. What do you see? The water remains the same, but it now has a different shape. In a translation the meaning remains the same, but the containers, the forms of each language, are different. 4. Biblical examples: Luke 3:3 (see separate file) Luke 3:8 (see separate file

A longer biblical example: Luke 1:1-4 (see separate file) REMEMBER that the goal of the translator is to keep the meaning the same. It will be necessary to change the way the message is expressed in order to keep the message the same
Three qualities of a good translation What qualities should a good translation have? Ask the participants to suggest. Write the qualities they suggest on the board. From these, draw out the principle qualities. Three questions you can ask to see whether a translation is a good translation: Is it accurate? Is it clear? Will people understand it? Is it natural? Is it the way that people speak. (Write these up on the board.) a. Accuracy A translator must remain faithful to the meaning of the original message. No part of the meaning must be omitted; nothing extra must be added and the meaning must not be changed or twisted in any way. b. Clarity The translation must be clear. The readers or hearers should be able to understand it as easily as possible. c. Natural - A translation should not sound foreign. It should sound as though it was originally written by a native speaker of the language. It should use the kind of language that speakers use in their every day life, language that s ounds sweet to their ears. Picture: three legged stool. What happens if you take away one leg? LANGUAGE GROUPS OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES (Monday morning) This session is important in beginning to form right attitudes to translation. Encourage discussion of what accuracy is communicating the exact meaning of the original message (as closely as possible). This may, and often does, involve changing the form. If the group is already involved in translation, discuss what kind of translation they are aiming to make. Raise the question Who is the audience of the translation? Who will use the translation? Always be thinking of this audience as you translate. Teach the terms source language or source text and receptor language. 2

Extracted text from QualitiesOfaGoodTranslation-Example-Luke3.3.doc:

Luke 3:3 preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (RSV)

baptisma metanoias proclaiming baptism of repentance

eis for

aphesin forgiveness of sins (RSV)

a yi musu baftisma domin a yafe musu zunubansu.

(HCL)

telling the people, Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven. (CEV) preaching Turn away from your sins and be baptized, and God will forgive your sins. (TEV) RSV Revised Standard Translation HCL Hausa Common Language CEV Contmporary English Version TEV Todays English Version (Good News Bible)

Extracted text from QualitiesOfaGoodTranslation-Example-Luke3.8.doc:

Luke 3:8

oun karpous axious metanoias produce therefore fruit worthy the repentanceee Bear fruits that befit repentance (RSV) Ku yi ayyukan da za su nuna cewa kun tuba. (HCL) Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. (CEV) Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. (Good News Bible TEV) Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins to follow God. (NLT) RSV HCL CEV TEV NLT Revised Standard Translation Hausa Common Language Contmporary English Version Todays English Version (Good News Bible) New Living Translation

Extracted text from QualitiesOfaGoodTranslation-Example-Luke3.8.ppt:

Introduction to translation Luke 3:8a

Luke 3:8 some English translations A. Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: (KJV) B. Bear fruits that befit repentance, (RSV) C. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. D. Prove your repentance by the fruit you bear; E. But if you are repentant, produce the appropriate fruit, (JB) F. Do those things that will show that you have turned from your sins. (GNB/TEV) G. Go and live in a way that shows that your hearts are really changed. H. Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God. (NLT) 2 (REB)

(NIV)

Luke 3:8 the Greek text Poisate oun karpon axion ts metanoias

Luke 3:8 the Greek text Poisate oun do/make

karpon axion ts metanoias

Luke 3:8 the Greek text Poisate oun karpon axion ts metanoias

do/make therefore

Luke 3:8 the Greek text Poisate oun karpon axion ts metanoias

do/make therefore fruit

Luke 3:8 the Greek text Poisate oun karpon axion ts metanoias worthy

do/make therefore fruit

Luke 3:8 the Greek text Poisate oun karpon axion ts metanoias worthy of-the repentance

do/make therefore fruit

(NIV)

Literal translations Translations AE are all fairly literal. They follow the form of the Greek closely. (a) They all keep the word fruit although this is an idiom or figure of speech in Greek.

(b) Except for (E) they all keep the abstract noun repentance as a noun, following the grammar of the Greek text. (c) They all follow the same order of words and clauses as the Greek text. 10

Meaning-based translations Translations F-G express the meaning of the Greek text in a way that will communicate to English speakers. They follow natural English grammar and use English idioms. This kind of translation is called meaning-based. 11

Meaning-based translations A meaning-based translation may: 1. Change the order of the words, using the order which is most clear and natural in the language into which the translation is being made; 2. Change the expressions or idioms; using the words which give the meaning of the original. 12

Some new terms Literal or form-based in contrast to Meaning-based Source language the language from which you are translating Receptor language the language into which you are translating 13

Qualities of a good translation

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