MAP — Modular Aggregation of Principles for Bible Translation

https://journals.sagepub.com/toc/tbtd/77/1

When the Word is Seen: Sign Language Bible Translation

Sign language Bible translation is an important and growing field of ministry and research. Despite recent advances in translation practices among various Bible translation agencies in different countries and in diverse contexts, systematic research and appropriate documentation on the subject is lacking. Eighteen years have passed since The Bible Translator last published a special issue on this topic (2008). During this time, significant advances have been made, and therefore it is relevant to publish a new special issue that reflects the developments of recent years.

In this special issue, we have brought together authors and specialists from various translation agencies directly involved in sign language projects to address relevant topics related to the different challenges, stages, phases, and needs of these types of projects. The contributions cover topics including the challenges and situation of Deaf churches and communities, sign language linguistics and translation principles, performance analysis of visual-gestural languages, the development of technological tools, and the experiences of Deaf translation teams.

It is important to take note that in sign language studies, deaf (lowercase) refers to hearing loss as a medical condition, while Deaf (capitalized) denotes a cultural and linguistic identity. Deaf people identify with sign language and a shared community, history, and values. Consequently, this issue features the valuable participation of Deaf experts directly involved in Bible translation work, as Noah Buchholz, Stuart Thiessen, Caio Cascaes, and Brent Allen, who contribute from an academic perspective. Likewise, we think that it is important to provide a space to learn about translation experiences narrated by their main protagonists and those responsible for them: Deaf Bible translators. By providing this space, we have tried to put into practice the value that one should do “nothing about Deaf people without Deaf people.” The most appropriate way to incorporate these experiences is through the use of sign language video as a communication medium, which can be accessed as supplemental files with the online version of the corresponding article in this issue.

We open this special issue with an article by Bernadet van der Louw (SIL Global), who presents some of the main challenges—primarily educational, linguistic, and demographic—that Bible translation into sign language has faced throughout its history. She highlights how the late or incomplete acquisition of sign language affects the translation process and discusses pedagogy and questions from churches regarding Bible translation into sign languages, as well as ethical challenges that arise when hearing organizations participate in these processes.

Stuart Thiessen (DOOR International) shows that sign languages are not manual versions of spoken languages but full natural languages with their own morphology and syntax. They use visual-gestural features, multiple articulators, spatial structure, and nonmanual markers to convey grammatical and discourse meaning. Effective Bible translation must account for these features, asking how Deaf people naturally express concepts, since neglecting nonmanual and spatial elements can result in unclear or misleading translations.

Phil King (SIL Global) and Brent Allen (British Sign Language Bible Translation Project) argue that biblical discourse reflects a hearing-world setting where names and address terms (“my lord,” “my son”) gain attention and signal relationships. Translating such vocatives into sign languages is difficult because Deaf signed discourse uses vocatives sparingly, relying on other strategies instead. The study surveys vocatives in Genesis by function and assesses solutions in the American Sign Language (ASL) Version and draft British Sign Language Bible translation materials.

C. J. Wallace (SIL Global) and Mark Penner (United Bible Societies) highlight the importance of discourse analysis in sign language Bible translation, demonstrating how the identification and application of discourse patterns can enhance the coherence, naturalness, and accessibility of translated texts. Through selected case studies, the article illustrates the practical value of discourse studies for improving translation quality.>

Noah Buchholz (Princeton University) explores the implications of sign language for biblical performance criticism within the field of Bible translation. He first outlines key insights from sign language linguistics, highlighting the multidimensional and embodied nature of sign languages, then examines the development of ASL poetry to show how prevailing notions of literature are shaped by Western, print-based traditions. Finally, he argues that sign language Bible translation offers a productive lens for rethinking biblical performance criticism through visual and embodied modes of meaning-making.

Marlon Winedt (United Bible Societies) considers the translation of poetic features of sign languages through the lens of multimodal social semiotics. The role of visual repetition and isomorphism is explored through examination of ASL poetry and a case study of the Song of Mary in Peruvian Sign Language. Translation teams are encouraged to develop the poetic genre as an expression of Deaf identity and a contribution to the artistic use of sign languages.

Isela Trujillo (United Bible Societies) examines sign language performance within the epistolary genre, focusing on a Pauline letter. While narrative performance in sign languages has received scholarly attention, hortatory discourse remains less explored. Using the translation of the Letter to the Philippians into Dominican Sign Language as a case study, she illustrates the visual and performative resources employed by Deaf signers to convey the persuasive force of Pauline discourse.

Trujillo and Winedt also arranged for interviews with Deaf Bible translation teams to provide direct access to sign language contributions from sign language projects in Ecuador, Costa Rica, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and the Philippines. By focusing on the leadership and experience of Deaf people, the article highlights the essential role of Deaf translators in shaping the knowledge and practice of Bible translation into sign languages.

Héctor Aranda (Peruvian Bible Society) reflects on the Peruvian Sign Language Bible translation project from an interpreter-exegete’s perspective, emphasizing Deaf leadership, cultural authenticity, family involvement, and the uniqueness of visual language. He argues that sound translation practice empowers Deaf communities spiritually, linguistically, and socially, while making Scripture accessible as a living message in their heart language.

Alain Montano (Cuban Bible Society) draws on the concrete experience of translating the books of Luke and Acts into Cuban Sign Language to analyze the main linguistic, theological, cultural, methodological, organizational, and technological challenges encountered during the translation process. He argues that addressing these challenges is fundamental not only for the quality and fidelity of the translation but also as a commitment to justice and inclusion.

Caio Cascaes (DOOR International) shows how the Sign Language Translation Tool (SLTT) has transformed sign language Bible translation from fragmented, improvised workflows into an integrated and standardized process. Designed specifically for visual-gestural languages through collaboration between software developers and Deaf consultants, SLTT unifies drafting, feedback, revision, and approval. The result is improved translation quality, efficiency, collaboration, data security, and Deaf leadership, establishing a new global standard for sign language Bible translation.

We also present reviews of two books, though not recent publications, worth highlighting for their detailed investigations of specific sign language communities, shedding light on key sociolinguistic topics in Deaf studies. Haileyesus E. Woldemariam (United Bible Societies) reviews The Sociolinguistics of Ethiopian Sign Language: A Study of Language Use and Attitudes, by Eyasu Hailu Tamene, highlighting the essential elements of this study which helps us understand the sociolinguistic reality of the Deaf community in Ethiopia, providing a concrete example of the social, political, and linguistic situations faced by many Deaf communities worldwide. And Alvin G. Bailon (Philippine Bible Society) reviews Ulrike Zeshan and Connie de Vos’s Sign Languages in Village Communities: Anthropological and Linguistic Insights, a collection of papers on the sociolinguistics and typology of village sign languages from many countries. Distinctive features of these communities include a high degree of shared use of sign language among both hearing and Deaf community members and the social location of these communities on the margins of their societies, with their sign languages under pressure from urban, national sign languages.

We hope this special issue will contribute to the ongoing work of those dedicated to Bible translation into sign languages and offer valuable insights to scholars and practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of this field. Furthermore, we aim to foster a sustained dialogue that encourages reflection on visuality, embodiment, and meaning-making as essential dimensions of Bible translation into sign language.

Isela Trujillo and Marlon Winedt, Guest Editors