DECEMBER 2023 Translation News

Google link for Translation News December 2023

Extracted text from its-dec-2023.pdf:

International Translation Services (ITS) works in collaboration with colleagues in SIL and other agencies to creatively steward and advance the translation practices, tools, methods, and training necessary to enable a supportive environment for individuals and communities to flourish and engage with Scripture. We value: Interconnectedness. Capacity Building. Diversity. Innovation.

December 2023 Quality, Collaboration, and Unity - Greg Dekker Highlights from the Bible Translation Conference New Consultants Lynette Wilson - Pacific Rose Savaiko - Africa Martha Gateley - Sign Language News and Updates New Logos TW Resources - Nick Peterson A Revealing Prayer - Central Asian Scholar Photo Companion to Ezra and Nehemiah - BiblePlaces The Colonial Model of Bible Translation in the East - Waseem Raza Exegetical Summaries Survey (free gift card) - Jim Clarke DIU Announcements - George Payton Applications for Graduate Certificate in Translation Consulting Translation Faculty Needed Coming Events SILTEC 4 (SIL Taller de Entrenamiento en Consultoría) (March 2024) Peru Anglo-Lusophone Africa TCDW (AFTRACT) (May 2024) Kenya Francophone Grammar for Translation (May 2024) Cameroon EMDC (May 2024) Thailand TCDW (Jun - July 2024) Asia Literacy and Education Global Gathering (July 2024) Kenya Indonesian TCDW (LPKP) (Jun - Aug 2024) Narrative Discourse Analysis for Translation Workshop (Oct 2024) Kenya Useful Links SIL Translation Services International Leadership Team Area Translation Coordinators

Quality, Collaboration, and Unity

• Greg Dekker - International Translation Services

Director The 2023 International Bible Translation Conference concluded on October 17. The theme of the Conference was “Quality in Translation”. This edition of the ITS Newsletter will feature some learnings from the ITS Coordinator team from the Conference. The Conference this year explored the theme of quality over a broad range of topics and domains, including in what has been called the “emerging” space of Bible translation, that is, quality around newer and less familiar methods for increasing the pace of BT and bringing proven processes for doing BT “to scale”. Papers also explored quality in what is being referred to as the “established method” of Bible translation, that is, well known and rehearsed processes for accomplishing quality Bible translation. Examples of papers in the “emerging” space were topics like multi-modality, AI and Bible translation, and various aspects around oral Bible translation. Examples of papers in the “established” space were focused on themes like exegesis, discourse, linguistic features to improve Bible translation, orthography and anthropological issues. I felt there was vigorous discussion and interaction during paper presentations, online, and during break time, yet I came away from the Conference with the sense that some important potential contributors to these conversations may not have been heard, and ongoing interaction on these issues is needed, that we need more inclusive opportunity and “space” outside of the Conference for continued conversation about the intersection of these processes or ways of working. Is the Translation Development Group at Forum of Bible Agencies International a good venue for this? Or can we arrange for an interorganizational facilitated conversation? What are your suggestions? Much has been said about the need for the “established” and the “emerging” to coexist, that we need both and they need to work together. I affirm that we do need both. (Cf. The Three-Box Solution.) Innovation compels us to always be exploring new methods and possibilities for Bible translation, while firmly grounded in proven processes. There’s a temptation to hold so tightly to the “established” that we fail to explore and experiment with the “emerging”, and vice versa; we may feel so strongly propelled toward new and more efficient ways of working that we fail to give due process to established, proven quality processes. Indeed, it may go further than that. We can endanger our unity by holding very strongly to one or the other, or by presenting one or the other as the best way. Could our quest for unity involve leveraging the strengths of our ideas and methods to the benefit of the Movement as a whole? I think so, but in order to do so, we need to explore in an open, transparent environment and an environment of appreciative inquiry, the strengths and weaknesses of our methods/processes. In this context we may discover a bridge that maximizes our combined efforts, considers the values of both methods, and allows us access to- and integration as needed of the processes which undergird both. My other main take-away I summarize with the word “complexity”. The work of BT is complex. Let no one convince you otherwise. BT is painstaking work. And the greater our value for quality translation, the greater we uncover a level of complexity in accomplishing that quality. This complexity calls us to greater collaboration in order to overcome the roadblocks and barriers to progress in reaching every language community with a quality translation of God’s Word. So let’s keep working together to this end in an environment of honesty, mutual appreciation, openness, recognizing we need each other. And let’s look for opportunities to exchange ideas, to uncover the methods that will keep us on the path of quality translation. I look forward to some energizing conversations ahead!

Highlights from the Bible Translation Conference Here is a sampling of some of the stimulating papers and presentations from the October 2023 Bible Translation Conference. Thanks to Phil King for the photos.

Dr. Edgar Ebojo from the Philippines Bible Society gave the Eugene A. Nida Lecture.

Paul O'Rear - I really appreciated this particular lecture. as he reviewed the historic attention to quality and accuracy by the early manuscript scribes. Dr. Ebojo presented slides illustrating how scribes would show corrections on the manuscripts as they were focused on transmitting the text correctly; much like editors today might use a red marker to show spelling or grammatical errors on a contribution being made for publication. He discussed the importance of the translation community’s attention to expertise in the biblical languages and to the text being translated, as well as attention to how we attempt to accurately translate the meaning into the many languages we work in around the world. These concerns may seem obvious but with an ever-increasing push to accelerate the work of Bible translation, it can be easy to lose sight of some of the seemingly more ‘mundane’ details—particularly with regard to the biblical languages. Dr. Edgar Ebojo (United Bible Societies) delivered the final plenary lecture of the Bible Translation Conference entitled: A Blast from the Past: Revisiting the Manuscript Tradition as a Paradigm for Quality in Learning Biblical Languages for Bible Translation.

Angeline Foo - As the dust settles and the excitement dies down, the one thing I observed and felt acutely is the issue of time/speed – the opposing forces that drive this conversation, presenting arguments that are equally substantiated. Exponential growth in technology has given us a plethora of resources and tools that can significantly aid and speed up our processes; and some would argue, improve quality as well. Yet at the same time, we have cautionary tales to show us that sped-up processes often come at a cost and are ultimately detrimental to our products. This tension will not only remain but will inevitably increase with time. How then, should we navigate this Bible Translation landscape? What tools should we use, and what principles should we follow? There were 3 papers I especially appreciated: Christy Hemphill & Phil King - Re-modeling quality: A comparison of implicit values revealed by translation metaphors It was interesting to see how our mental models could impact our approaches and what we value in the translation process. Different participants may have a different model that can affect the way the team works and operates. But different models could also likely impact the project at different times depending on the mitigating factors at that particular stage. Tim Stirtz & Mike Cahill - Tacit Linguistic Knowledge is Not Enough: Using Participatory Methods to Improve Quality in Bible Translation While it is true that MTTs bring innate knowledge of their language into the translation process, the authors provide strong evidence that intuition alone is often not enough for a quality translation. The suggestion for a collaborative approach between the native speaker and the outsider – each bringing their own experience and expertise – is a good way forward. Larry Hayashi & Reinier De Blois & Paul Unger & Matt Merritt - Lost in Translation: Navigating the Intersection of AI and the Sanctity of Drafting in BT The discussion around the emphasis of humanity in the Bible translation endeavour is a pertinent one that needs to be addressed. The use of AI for the sake of speed and acceleration may sideline the important work of the Spirit in and through human agency as we go through the processes of translating Scripture.

Phil King - When I think about the BT conference from a training and development perspective, three types of presentations particularly engaged me: (1) Presentations that could be used in a training context. These were papers that give a clear explanation of an important topic that could be read or viewed and then discussed as part of a seminar, Community of Practice, course/workshop, or just for individual professional growth. I’m building a Youtube channel, Bible Translation Competencies, to collect some of these and link them to the various competencies identified in the CBC system - please let me know any other videos that you think I should include. Some that stood out for me from the conference are: Josh Frost’s discussion of emotional exegesis, Alice Reed’s presentation on theology and hermeneutics, and Sophia Pitcher’s explanation of the Hebrew accent system. (2) Presentations focused on training practice. Several papers provided updates from those who deliver training, sharing what they have learned. Highlights for me included Teryl Gonzalez talking about her practical cohort mentoring model (which was the focus of her DMin) and the benefits of training and gaining experience together as a group; learning from Joost Pikkert and colleagues about the CanIL outcome-based MA in the Translation of Scripture, which allows people to gain credit for consultant development wherever they work; being challenged by Steve Doty and Angie Foo to think about how consultant training programmes build sufficient experience to be useful; and learning from Ruth Anna Spooner about how to design video training resources in sign languages for effective learning by deaf translators. (3) Presentations that challenged current paradigms of translation. Emerging paradigms will have an impact on training for future Bible translators. For example, Sebastian Floor's and Bryan Harmelink's presentation of the recommendations from the ETEN innovation lab emphasised the role of the church in authentication, the need for a multimodal approach, and the importance of iterative quality assurance. These challenge me to think about how SIL can contribute to developing training and resources to support these directions. AI tools and procedures also featured in many papers, and made me think about how well current training programmes and approaches are equipping translators and consultants for the benefits and challenges of AI-empowered translation.

Greg Dekker presenting Dr. Dick Kroneman a certificate honoring his ten years of service with International Translation Services and as co-chair of the Bible Translation Conference Steering Committee.

The mornings at the conference started with joyful, multicultural times of worship.

New Translation Consultants Lynette Wilson (Pacific), Rose Savaiko (Africa), and Martha Gately (Sign Language)

New Consultant

• Lynette Wilson (Pacific) Congratulations to Lynette (Disch) Wilson (SIL Australia Timor-Leste Group) on completing all the requirements for certification as a Translation Consultant, under the guidance of her supervising mentor, Thomas Hemphill. Lynette was approved as a Translation Consultant by the Pacific Area Consultant Accreditation Committee.

Lynette joined Wycliffe USA in 2007 and graduated with an M.A. in Applied Linguistics from the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics (now DIU) in 2010. She served as an associate linguistics instructor in both Dallas and Lima, Peru, then moved to Australia in 2015 with husband Michael to assist Indigenous Bible translators in the Yolŋu Matha language cluster of northeast Arnhem Land. When a home assignment to the USA lengthened during COVID, she took courses in Biblical languages and exegesis, attended the 2021 Asia TCDW, and began leading online mentored consultant checks under the instruction of consultants in four continents. Upon returning to Australia, she added face-to-face mentored checks in Central Australia and East Timor and now looks forward to serving these areas and more into the future. As one of a group of low vision Bible translators and consultants, she is working to encourage translation software developers to add screen-reader accessibility to their designs.

New Consultant

• Rose Savaiko (Africa) Congratulations to Rose Savaiko (SIL Tanzania) on completing all the requirements for certification as a Translation Consultant. Jonathan van den Broek (Translation Domain Team Leader for Anglo-Lusophone Africa) announced that the SIL Africa Area accreditation committee for translation consultants has examined the dossier submitted for Rose, and they are pleased to say that the committee formally recognise her as a Translation Consultant. Rose Savaiko has been a part of SIL Tanzania since 2012 serving as a Translation Advisor with the Mbugwe and Alagwa Bible translation teams. In 2010 she completed her Bachelors of Science in Biblical Studies, with a minor in Linguistics. She then went on to study linguistics and Bible translation at GIAL, Dallas, Texas, (now DIU), receiving a Masters in Applied Linguistics in 2016.

In 2019 she began the CiT program under her primary mentor, Consultant Tom Matthews. As part of the program she completed a number of mentored checks across SIL Tanzania as well as completing the SIL Asia TCDW in 2022. Additionally, Rose currently serves as the Oral Bible Translation Coordinator for SIL Tanzania.

New Consultant

• Martha Gateley (Sign Language) Congratulations to Martha Gateley on completing all the requirements for certification as a Sign Language Translation Consultant. The Area Director of Global Sign Languages Team (GSLT) has confirmed her certification, following the recommendations of her mentors and the GSLT Translation Coordinator.

Martha has been part of GSLT since 2016, working with several mentors (Harry Harm, Bernadet van der louw, Bob and Katie Van Zyl, Teri Miles) and contributing to various Sign Language Translation projects across Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. Through her experiences, she has gained a diverse skill set and a wealth of knowledge in the field. In addition to her practical experience, she also completed her M.A. in Linguistics from the University of North Dakota in 2021, further enhancing her expertise. Presently, Martha serves in the Americas Regional team of GSLT, and as the translation consultant for the Colombian Sign Language team and other sign language teams in the region.

News and Updates New Logos TW Resources

• Nick Peterson The TW team is happy to announce the shipment of new resources released on 21 November 2023. Included in the drop are 5 pre-releases of updated Exegetical Summaries, 14 updated editions of Comprendre Pour Traduire, 10 new articles and 3 revised articles of KTOT, and 24 updated Translator's Notes resources. A special thank you to the TN team for all their hard work getting more chapters available every two months, to the KTOT team for all their extensive and valuable research, and to the Bureau du Tradacture team for every effort to get the Comprendre Pour Traduire series together! Click here for a complete list drop.

A Revealing Prayer

• Central Asian Scholar From the SIL Eurasia website comes this interesting story of a Central Asian scholar who confesses his new faith for the first time.

“…in Jesus’ name. Amen.” Professor Sabirov (pseudonym) had just finished praying with his teammates. Together they were translating the Bible into a major Central Asian language. Everybody looked at him in amazement. One of the team members expressed what everybody was thinking. “You have never prayed in the name of Jesus before. Does this mean you believe in Jesus?” The professor responded simply, “I am in this way now.” With these words he acknowledged that he had come to faith in Jesus. When Professor Sabirov got involved in Bible translation, he was not yet a follower of Jesus. However, his vast knowledge of his language made him a valuable addition to the team, and he helped translate large parts of the Bible. Getting immersed in the biblical stories slowly but surely transformed his mind and heart. He started believing in Jesus while reviewing the epistles of John but kept this to himself for several years – until that day when he prayed in the name of Jesus and quietly professed his faith. Over time the professor developed an interest in researching how Jesus Christ and Christians were portrayed in the historical literature of his people. He has found many references indicating that notable authors in centuries past had viewed Jesus in a positive light. The professor hopes that this information will help his compatriots appreciate that the teachings of Christ have a place in their culture today.

Photo Companion to Ezra and Nehemiah

• BiblePlaces The November 2023 BiblePlaces Newsletter announced that this photographic resource for Ezra and Nehemiah is now available. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are filled with the powerful acts of God, albeit without the dramatic miracles of the exodus from Egypt. Though the people were repeatedly frustrated by opposition, they ultimately succeeded in rebuilding the temple and the walls of Jerusalem. Ezra and Nehemiah's resolute leadership prevented moral disaster and foreign attack, moving forward God's plan of redemption. From a visual standpoint, Ezra and Nehemiah are easily illustrated--especially if you have the newest volumes in the Photo Companion to the Bible. As with the other volumes, the best photographs of sites, reliefs, inscriptions, and other artifacts have been collected to explain and illuminate the biblical text, verse by verse. You can now get the best price on the two books together: Ezra ($39), Nehemiah ($49), or Ezra and Nehemiah together for $59 as DVD+download or as download-only.

The Colonial Model of Bible Translation in the East

• Waseem Raza Waseem Raza did a research internship (April-July

2023. at the Bible Society for the Netherlands and Flanders.This internship was part of his master’s degree at the Vrije Universiteit in which he elaborated his ideas on the colonial model of Bible translation. Waseem Raza, 'The Colonial Model of Bible Translation in the East' in: Met Andere Woorden 42/online (9 November 2023), debijbel.nl. The major problem was that the holy book of the Christians, the Bible, did not conform to the external features of holy scripture that the local people were used to, specifically in five areas: (1) showing the source text, (2) the appearance of the cover, (3) the title page, (4) what is put in the margins, and (5) text formatting. He concludes with: "Regardless of all the criticism of colonialism, as a Christian I am grateful for the missionary expeditions. These brought the Word of God to me and my people. That during the initial stages of Bible translation in the Indian subcontinent the Western model was followed – mainly the KJV – is understandable. The pioneers gave the best they could offer. But we are now also increasingly seeing the downside of Bible editions that do not meet cultural standards. For respect and appreciation by the majority religions of the subcontinent, it is essential that the Bible presents itself as a holy book according to the accepted standard: as an aesthetically pleasing and richly decorated book, in the right colors, with authoritative names of translators, with the text on horizontal lines, and above all with the source text to the left of the translation..... we no longer need to stick to the European Bible as our model. Therefore, it is time for Bible translation and publishing to break free from colonial norms. It needs liberation so that God can speak to people’s hearts."

Exegetical Summaries Survey (free gift card)

• Jim Clarke Exegetical Summaries (ES) are "The greatest consulting resource you already own". We would love to know more about how you use this resource and get your feedback, as we would like to raise awareness of this valuable resource for others who could benefit from using it. Because your time is valuable we are offering a $50 Amazon gift card to the three people with the most helpful responses to this survey. Here is a link to the survey. (Note: If you are one of the three people selected to receive one of the gift cards and you happen to be in a place where you cannot make use of the gift card we will find something comparable to give you.) Thank you for your time and your willingness to help us.

DIU Announcements

• George Payton Two announcements from Dallas International Unveracity (DIU) regarding applications for the Graduate Certificate in Translation Consulting and the need for Translation Faculty. Contact George Payton for further information.

Application Period Open for the Graduate Certificate in Translation Consulting - DIU is still accepting applications for the Graduate Certificate in Translation Consulting. All paperwork must be submitted by March 1, 2024. Translation Consultants in Training (CiT) who are interested are encouraged to either apply or make inquiry via the DIU website. Applicants who submit all paperwork by March 1st will be interviewed during the month of March. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by April 1, 2024. A limited number of scholarships are available. Translation Faculty Needed - Assistant instructors are needed to help team-teach translation courses for the Graduate Certificate in Translation Consulting starting in June, 2024. The courses are Exegesis and Translation of OT Texts and Exegesis and Translation of NT Texts. Each course has a course head, with an Assistant Instructor working alongside the course head. Instructors need to have an MA and also need to have experience as a translation consultant. We also need Assistant Instructors to help in a Translation Practicum that runs concurrently with the translation courses.

Coming Events 2024 - 04-15 March. SILTEC 4 (SIL Taller de Entrenamiento en Consultoría) Consultant Training program in Spanish, Lima, Peru. Contact Rick Floyd. 2024 - 18-31 May. Anglo-Lusophone Africa TCDW (AFTRACT). CiT training, Ruiru, Nairobi Kenya. Contact Jonathan van den Broek. Jointly organised by SC, SIL and BTL. 2024 - 1-28 May. Francophone Grammar for Translation. Cameroon. Registration form. 2024 - 27-30 May. EMDC. Chiangmai, Thailand. 2024 - 10 June - 19 July. TCDW (Translation Consultant Development Workshop). Hybrid. Application deadline is 31 December 2023. For information email Angeline Foo. Weeks 1-2: Classroom (10-21 June). Week 3: TC Note Practice online (24-28 June). Week 4: Travel to location and prep for checking: Arrive in location by Monday 01 July. Weeks 5-6: Supervised checks (08-19 July). 2024 - 01-05 July. Literacy and Education Global Gathering , Nairobi, Kenya. Registration information. Contact Diane Dekker or Elizabeth Roettele. 2024 - 24 June - 16 August. Indonesian TCDW (LPKP). For information email the Director. Weeks 1-2: Classroom. In-person, Tomohon, Sulawesi, Indonesia (24 June – 07 July). Week 3: TC Note Practice online (08-12 July). Weeks 4-5: Supervised checking. Inperson, Tomohon, Sulawesi, Indonesia (05-16 August). 2024 - 09-29 October. Narrative Discourse Analysis for Translation Workshop. Nairobi, Kenya.

Useful Links Bible Translation Consultant Competencies / YouTube channel for BT Competencies Journal of Translation SIL Senior Translation Consultants Email the SIL International Translation Office International Translation Services ILS Google page Join/visit the SIL Translation Resources Google Group Visit the public SIL.org/Translation site Find Translation Resources (both free download and for purchase) SIL.org/Resources/Publications Bamboo Project website Mentoring Matters website - Mentor Training Courses Consultant Development and Management Team Progress.Bible Information Memoriam website

SIL Translation Services International Leadership Team Greg Dekker - ITS Director Angeline Foo - International Coordinator for Translation Research and Practice Paul O'Rear - International Coordinator for Translation Resources Phil King - International Coordinator for Translation Training and Development Nathan Payne - International Coordinator for Oral Translation Services Viji Mathew - Director, Global Consultant Pool Brian Migliazza - ITS Operations and Project Management

Area Translation Coordinators Angeline Foo & Amber Jasa - Asia Greg Carlson - Pacific Drew Maust - Francophone Africa Jonathan van den Broek - Anglo-Lusophone Africa Tim Robinson (interim) - Eurasia Rick Floyd & Dwight Shaver - Americas Yuki Yamada - Global Sign Languages Team (GSLT)

Copyright © 2023 SIL International Translation Services. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because of your interest in translation updates. This newsletter is produced by SIL International Translation Services. Editors are Tuula O'Rear and Brian Migliazza. It contains items of interest for translation personnel within SIL and related organizations. It includes notices of upcoming conferences and workshops, announcements of recent dissertations and journal articles, and pointers to useful information related to translation.

Our mailing address is: International Translation Services SIL International 7500 W Camp Wisdom Rd Dallas, TX 75236 Want to change how you receive these emails? update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.