PRINCIPLES - TOKELAU TRANSLATION TEAM

Extracted text from TOKELAU.DOC:

UBS TRANSLATION OFFICERS MANUAL

PRINCIPLES TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE TOKELAU TRANSLATION TEAM 1.0 The target audience is the native speakers of Tokelau. 2.0 The basic text to be used for the Old Testament is Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, and the UBS Greek NT (4th) Edition for the New Testament. 2.1 Formal correspondence translations to be used as base translations are: RSV, NRSV, NAB, and NJB. The dynamic/functional equivalence translations to he used as model translations are: TEV, CEV, NEB, and REB. 2.2 The resources to be made available by the Bible Society to the team are: Exegetical commentaries, UBS Translators' handbooks, Bible dictionaries, encyclopedias which are based on solid and sound biblical scholarship. 2.3 The Tokelau Dictionary published by the Office of Tokelau Affairs (1986) will be used as reference. 2.4 The grammar to be followed is the one that will be recommended by the Translation Consultant (TC). 3.0 Existing drafts may be used as resources for translators, provided they are checked for typographical errors/misprints, mistranslation, and when the language reflects foreign language more than the vernacular. 4.0 Priorities: The following will be given priority in this translation. 4.1 Dynamic/functional equivalence over formal correspondence. 4.2 Equivalence in meaning and or function 4.3 Contextual consistency over verbal consistency. 4.4 Aural over the written form. 4.5 Needs of non-church goers over that of church-goers. 4.6 Speech of women. 5.0 Personnel. 5.1 The team will be composed of one coordinator, two full-time translators, reviewers, secretary key boarder, and advisory board.

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UBS TRANSLATION OFFICERS MANUAL

The translators will prepare a first draft, comment on others' drafts, prepare revised drafts, review and incorporate comments of the reviewers, and prepare the final manuscripts in consultation with the TC. The translators will be expected to read camera-ready proof before the final printing. A written report will be submitted monthly to the BSNZ and the TC regarding the hours and the amount of work accomplished. 5.2 The reviewers' main responsibility is to comment on the drafts in areas of exegesis, dialect, style, usage by women and second language speakers. 5 3 Towards the completion of a certain section of the translation project, one stylist or more will be appointed to polish the final form. Any revision at this stage will be subject to the approval of the team and of the TC. 5 4 The Advisory board consisting of Church and Christian leaders will provide guidance to the team on general issues (e.g. translating the name of God). 6.0 Procedure: 6.1 First, the coordinator assigns different parts of the Bible to be translated/revised by each member of the team. 6 2 Then, the drafter passes the draft to the other translators for comments. 6.3 The commented draft is then given back to the original drafter who then makes the revised draft or Stage 1. 6.4 The Stage 1 draft is then sent to each of the reviewers who send in all comments from their area of competence. 6.5 The reviewers' comments are sent to the translators who will seriously consider all comments and recommendations. The result is the revised draft Stage 2. Unresolved problems will be discussed in quarterly meetings with the TC 6 6 Final decision of the revision rests with the translators in consultation with the TC. The draft is then finalized after being checked by the TC 6.7 Each full time translator should complete 2 pages each day, and 5 pages each day when reviewing and incorporating comments from the reviewers (computed on the basis of the pages of the RSV double column Bible). 6.8 The translation team is expected to finish the translation within four years for NT, or eight years for OT

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UBS TRANSLATION OFFICERS MANUAL

7. Specific translation guidelines: 7.1 Long complex sentences must be restructured to simple kernel sentences. 7.2 Biblical idioms that could be misunderstood by the average audience must be rendered with vernacular idioms that have equivalent function and meaning. 7.3 Serious consideration should be given to rendering abstract nouns using verbal construction. 7.4 Do not aim for verbal consistency, rather translate meaningfully and contextually. 7.5 When rhetorical questions might be construed as real questions, they can be converted into statements. 7 6 Passive construction may be changed into active voice. 7.7 Known Biblical names may be retained in translation; while unknown Biblical names can be translated for their meaning. 7 8 The smallest ideal unit of translation is a pericope (a complete story under a section heading). 7.9 Translators will prepare Footnotes, maps, wordlist, section headings, cross references etc. for the assistance of readers, with reference to the GNB + CEV The Bible Society publication requirements: Completeness of chapters, verses, page sequence Consistency of spellings, book titles, section headings, punctuation Orthography uniform throughout Cover title, title page, preface, table of contents Introductions of each Biblical book (following GNB or CEV) Running heads, section headings Illustrations, illustrations captions References, footnotes, word list Geographical names in vernacular for maps Abbreviations Special notes for typesetting composition Special symbols Prepared by Daud Soesilo UBS Translation Consultant Tokelau Translation Workshop Wellington, 1 March 1996

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UBS TRANSLATION OFFICERS MANUAL

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