JUNE 2026 Translation News

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SIL Translation Services (STS) 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.

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June 2026 Why Am I Here? - Rick Floyd Papua Translators' Training - Angie Foo Global CoP for BT Consultants - Viji Mathew OBT Consultant Development Training OBT Global Gathering: Many Voices, One Story - Kris Toler & Angie Foo Oral Translation Services - Kris Toler ¿Por qué debería importarme la multimodalidad? June 2026 OBT Reading Group Translation Challenges with Demonstratives - Tim Stirtz & Steve Nicolle Interviews with Translation Consultants - Larry Jones (Seed Company) AI & Translation Spot - The ‘Potato’ Prompt - Phil King News New DMin Graduate - Roman Kim Save The Date: Exploring the use of AI in Consultant Work - Nick Peterson & Reinier de Blois Guatemala CLATUB Report - Jaime Ayala Survey for Language Technology Impact & Use - Chris Hirt Open Position: Scriptura Exegetical Analyst and Resource Writer Position - Thomas Hemphill Coming Events Asia TCDW (June-July 2026) Taste of FLExTrans (July 2026) Online Exploring the use of AI in Consultant Work (Aug 2026) Online "What is a word?" Anthropology insights into communication theory and what this means for Bible translation. Global CoP for BT Consultants. (Aug 2026) Online FLEx Parser Workshop (Aug 2026) Nairobi Taste of FLExTrans (Sep 2026) Online Oral Bible Translation Consultant Workshop (Sep 2026) South Africa FLExTrans Workshop (Nov 2026) Online Greek linguistics. Global CoP for BT Consultants. (Nov 2026) Online Translation Development Event (Nov 2026) EurAsia SBL Global Bible Translation Studies (Nov 2026) Denver Bible Translation Conference (Oct 2027) Cape Town, South Africa

Useful Links SIL Translation Services International Leadership Team

Area Translation Coordinators

Why Am I Here? Rick Floyd - Translation Domain Leader (Americas) For the next few months our newsletter will begin with members of the Global Translation Community of Leadership sharing what motivates them to be involved in Bible translation. This month we hear from Rick.

I was asked “what motivates you to be involved in Bible translation?” and “why are you giving your life to this work?” First of all, the two questions are so closely related that it’s hard for me to separate them, so I’m really not going to try. The quick and dirty answer to both is that I can certainly think of worse things to dedicate my life to! Ever since I was a little kid I always had a quirky interest in languages. After becoming a Christian as a senior in high school and slogging through a sophomore-year identity crisis in college, I “discovered” Wycliffe and SIL. It seemed like the perfect blend of service to God through the exploration of languages. Long story short; I joined Wycliffe and SIL in 1975 when dinosaurs roamed the earth. And for the last 50 years doing this is just simply what I do; it is who I am, and have been for almost my entire life. What would I do if I didn’t do this? But aside from simply being swept along by the inertia of long-term employment, it’s foundational that everything I know about God comes from his Word. I don’t know someone by simply staring at a picture of them; I know them when I know their thoughts, their loves, their passions, how they deal with others around them… That is what the Scriptures give me with respect to God: the revelation of his mind and his heart towards me. It’s the standard by which I ultimately judge all truth and error. The Scriptures tell me about the one who has altered and affected every part of my life, the one who gives me perspective when I’m confused, or doubting, or angry, or wallowing in sin. It’s because of him and his Word that I have the most satisfying relationships I have ever had. My wife, my children, my friends, are all the result of the God who is revealed in Scripture, the God who has taken me to places I had never imagined I would go, who has answered prayers for things I did not have the courage or wisdom to ask for or expect. I have gotten to learn fascinating things and then been given opportunities to teach them to others in more settings than I can remember. And sometimes I get feedback that something that I have said has had a profound impact on the hearer. (And I don’t remember ever having said any of it!) Bottom line: there is something indescribable about exposing others to the magnitude of grace in the person of Christ and seeing the lights come on as they hear and understand Scripture in their own language for the first time. My life has counted for something in God‘s economy. To work towards and finish something that once was not but now has come to be, and to leave behind something that matters for eternity, provides me with a deep sense of satisfaction that somehow I have made a contribution to the lives of others. It’s been a good life and I would do it again.

Papua Translators' Training Angie Foo As the hall reverberated with the chant, “Sa pu bahasa luar biasa!” (My language is amazing/ extraordinary!), the energy was palpable and the enthusiasm was contagious. This was at a week-long (27 Apr-01 May 2026) Mother-Tongue Translators’ Training Workshop (MTTW) in Papua, Indonesia.

There were 111 national translators from 26 language groups, accompanied by 41 facilitators, together with 5 trainers and 3 support staff - which brought the total to 160 people. The Evangelical Church of Indonesia (Gereja Injili di Indonesia – GIDI) was the host of this annual event. Every morning began with singing – the translators could not wait to go forward to share worship songs in their languages with the others. Then five trainers from a national bible school, P3J (Pemuridan, Pembinaan, Pengembangan Jemaat – Discipleship, Cultivating and Developing Believers) walked through the Ethnos360 series, Firms Foundations: Creation to Christ, every morning; while in the afternoon, an exceptional team of five young Indonesians, who also serve as translation facilitators, taught language awareness. Team LiLo (Team Linguistiks Lokal - Local Linguistics Team), as they call themselves, made the afternoons fun and interactive, challenging the translators to document and chart patterns in their language. Admittedly, we were only scratching the surface at this point, but the sessions piqued curiosity, and gave participants some practical tools for exploring their languages more deeply. More importantly, the translators were reminded of the value of their mother tongue and encouraged to be proud of the fact that, “Sa pu bahasa luar biasa!”

Global CoP for BT Consultants Viji Mathew The Global Consultant Pool’s (GCP) Global Community of Practice (CoP) for Bible Translation consultants continued in May 2026 with an engaging session led by James Maxey and Peter Perry on “Is Relevance Theory Still Relevant?” The session explored how cognition, audience assumptions, implicatures, processing effort, and communication theory influence translation decisions and consultant practice in Bible translation contexts.

The CoP was attended by 67 participants, bringing together consultants and practitioners from a variety of organizations and contexts across the Bible Translation movement. The presentation was followed by a lively and enriching question-and-

answer session, reflecting strong interest in how Relevance Theory intersects with consultant work, interpretation, and translation quality. As an initiative launched this year, these Global CoP sessions seek to provide shared spaces for BT practitioners to learn together, discuss emerging issues, and strengthen collaboration across organisational boundaries. Those who were unable to attend the May session can access the recording and supporting materials here. The next Global CoP session will explore Anthropology and Communication and is scheduled for 25 August 2026 at 15:00 UTC. Johannes and Sharon Merz will discuss: “What is a word? Anthropology insights into communication theory and what this means for Bible translation.” If you want to register for this upcoming Global COP, please email Theo van der Louw or Viji Mathew. This August session will examine how anthropological understandings of communication and meaning shape translation practice—raising important questions for consultants serving multilingual and multicultural communities. The Global CoPs continue as open spaces for learning, dialogue, and strengthening consultant capacity across the wider Bible Translation movement.

OBT Consultant Development Training The OBT-CDT (Oral Bible Translation Consultant Development Training) continues building capacity for Oral Bible Translation Consulting. This initiative continues to invest in strengthening consultant capacity for Oral Bible Translation (OBT), equipping participants with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to serve emerging oral translation projects worldwide. For additional information, email Viji Mathew. The OBT-CDT initiative reflects a growing commitment within SIL to develop consultants ensuring quality Oral Bible Translation efforts in diverse communities where oral communication remains central. Following two earlier OBT consultant development trainings, the third phase of OBT-CDT will be held in Bali, Indonesia, from August 18 to September 4, 2026, bringing together participants from multiple contexts for hands-on learning and mentoring. The training includes two components: OBT Crash Course (August 18–22); Designed for participants new to Oral Bible Translation, this intensive course helps build foundational understanding and practical skills prior to entering more advanced consultant development pathways. Even experienced practitioners have reported gaining valuable insights and perspectives through the course. Psalms Consultant Training (August 24–September 4): This advanced segment provides participants with practical consultant experience by working alongside Mother Tongue Translator (MTT) teams in Indonesia to develop Psalms translations in song form. Participants engage directly in exegesis, key terms, internalisation, drafting, and consultant checking within oral translation settings, including the software applications. Those interested in the Psalms Consultant Training may register here.

OBT Global Gathering: Many Voices, One Story Kris Toler & Angie Foo The 3rd OBT Global Gathering was hosted by BiLTA (Bible and Literature Translation Association) in partnership with the OBT Affinity Table of ETEN (Every Tribe Every Nation) in Lusaka, Zambia, 18-22 May 2026 with the theme: Many Voices, One Story. The event was co-chaired by FCBH (Faith Comes by Hearing) and MM (Mission Mutual), with representatives from seven organizations in the Steering Committee. Over 250 people from 54 different countries came together to make meaningful connections, be encouraged, celebrate advances, and gain a renewed sense of vision for OBT. The celebration was officially opened with a speech given by Her Honor Dr. W.K. Mutale Nalumago, Vice President of the Republic of Zambia. Each day began with a time of lively worship led by a choir from a local Zambian church and dynamic devotional messages. On day 2 of the gathering we heard a message answering the question “Why Bible Translation?”

The speaker shared that “we have truly heard the Word of God, but we have not seen all its richness until it is available in every language.” Each language offers a unique perspective and enriches our understanding of God and His Word. This is why we need many voices to tell the one story. Over the three days of the Global Gathering we had opportunities to hear about the successes and challenges that are happening all over the world, get to know others who are working in OBT and celebrate together. The five workshop sessions introduced various new apps for OBT, as well as Scripture Engagement and ethnomusicology approaches. We were encouraged to focus on building relationships with one another. The strengthening of relationships is where we will see collaboration opportunities grow and collaboration is where we will see God do great things. The gathering culminated in a vibrant and colorful cultural night featuring performances by a local Zambian dance troupe. Over the last twenty years the Oral Bible Translation movement has grown to over 1,200 active projects. We learned that just over half of all active Bible Translation projects now are OBT projects. We praise God for what He is doing through OBT and we invite you to join us moving forward.

Oral Translation Services Kris Toler

In May, Dr. Bryan Harmelink shared with the Multimodal Bible Translation Community of Practice about “Why should I care about multimodality?” It was an excellent presentation that helped us define multimodality and explore some of the implications that it has for translation.

More than one person commented to me afterwards that it was the first time that they understood what multimodality meant. We will make the recording available on the YouTube channel soon. Please feel free to watch and share the recordings with others. This month’s Multimodal Bible Translation Community of Practice will be on Tuesday, June 9th at 14:00 UTC - 9:00am Dallas, 15:00 UK, 19:30 India, 21:00 Thailand. Christine Doi will be sharing on "Differences between Oral and Written English: A Case Study on Jonah". This is a presentation of the findings from Doi’s master’s thesis. The study compares spoken and written American English by analyzing two written translations of Jonah alongside an oral translation. It draws on frameworks from orality, emotion, prosody, and discourse studies, using both quantitative feature analysis and qualitative side-by-side comparison. The study finds differences in word and clause length, emotional expression, clarity, and verb use, contributing evidence to distinctions between spoken and written language. ---------------------------------------------------------------------¿Por qué debería importarme la multimodalidad? - El Dr. Bryan Harmelink compartió con la Comunidad de Práctica de la Traducción Multimodal de la Biblia en español en mayo sobre ¿Por qué debería importarme la multimodalidad? Fue una excelente presentación que nos ayudó a definir la multimodalidad y explorar algunas de las implicaciones que tiene para la traducción. Más de una persona me comentó después que era la primera vez que entendían lo que significaba la multimodalidad. La grabación está disponible en el canal de YouTube. No dudes en ver y compartir las grabaciones con otros. ---------------------------------------------------------------------OBT Reading Group for June - This month’s OBT Reading group will meet on June 26th at 09:00 Dallas, 14:00 UTC, 19:30 India, and 21:00 Thailand time. We will be reading "Making Cognitive Insights on Memory Evident in OBT Projects" by Fausto Liriano. As I mentioned previously, the editorial staff of The Bible Translator Journal has graciously given permission for us to share the article for the purpose of this discussion group. It cannot be shared with people who are not participating in the group. Please respect this limitation and do not share the article with others. If you know someone who would like to participate in the reading group send them my way and I can add them to the list. I will send the article out to the Reading Group mailing list. I am really looking forward to the discussion. Here is the Zoom link for the session: https://sil.zoom.us/j/99964509859

Translation Challenges with Demonstratives Tim Stirtz & Steve Nicolle Steve Nicolle gave a presentation on Demonstratives: More than just pointing words, at the April 2026 Linguistics and Language Development CoP with nearly 80 participants.

While demonstratives typically indicate physical distance (this/that), their discourse functions are more complex and are particularly challenging for translators. These include: reactivating previously mentioned participants in narratives with one demonstrative vs maintaining currently active referents with another marking agents with one demonstrative and marking non-agents (experiencers and patients) with another highlighting major participants, key developments and very important participants indicating mutual information (Do you remember 'that' hat (not present)? I still have it.) expressing disbelief (That man (of all people), that (much) money, where did he get it from!?)

Translation teams often struggle with demonstrative choices because these discourse functions aren't always obvious, requiring careful analysis in non-translated, natural texts. Translators can also gain assistance by looking at the discourse features marked in BART files (PDFs are available on Levinsohn’s Google scholar page) and in various NT translations in Logos (See the comment of Kathleen S in the meeting document for more information.). Following Steve's presentation, those attending gave numerous examples of interesting demonstratives in various languages, including: in-sight/out-of-sight distinctions and left/right/front orientation in a language of Nigeria there are two different demonstratives that mark a clear use of anaphoric (previously mentioned) and cataphoric (will be mentioned) referents in a language in Ethiopia demonstratives before the noun have deictic (spacial) functions while those after the noun have topicality functions in a language of Asia in many sign languages, a finger pointing at different objects of different distances is used as the equivalence of demonstratives, as well as of the definite article and 2nd-3rd pronouns in a language where it is not possible for demonstratives to occur with names, it can be challenging to translate "this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ (Acts 7:40) There were also thought-provoking questions, such as: Do oral drafting methods such as FIA (familiarization, internalization, articulation) help translators use the right/best demonstrative? Have you found demonstratives used to mark the peak episode of narratives? How do you recommend translating the ambiguous “this” in Ephesians 2:8? What ideas do you have on how to educate translators to effectively use demonstratives? For the answers to these and other questions, you can view the meeting documents in the following links: Video recording of the 22 Apr 14:00 UTC Western Hemisphere meeting Video recording of the 23 Apr 02:00 UTC Eastern Hemisphere meeting

PowerPoint of Nicolle Presentation Meeting notes EMDC Linguistic CoP space

Interviews with Translation Consultants We asked an experienced Translation Consultant, Larry Jones, to share his thoughts concerning his work and philosophy of ministry. Larry originally served with SIL Indonesia where he and his wife, Linda, completed a NT. He served as SIL Asia Area Director before going to the Seed Company (SC) where he served as a Translation Consultant, Senior Vice President for Bible Translation, and eventually as the CEO. Experienced consultants have been a key organizational resource over the years, equipping and encouraging others to academic and professional excellence, while providing much needed leadership and service to many Bible translation organizations.

Larry Jones - Seed Company How did you get interested in Bible translation? In the summer of 1974, I was captivated by the notion of “the mystery of the gospel”, that God had opened the way for Gentiles to be part of His people. I felt a Holy Spirit tug to make that my life’s work. In the spring of 1975, my pastor (also my mentor) handed me a Wycliffe brochure and said, “Our church doesn’t yet support anyone from Wycliffe, but if you go, we’ll support you.” I never looked back!

What is your consulting philosophy? Giving input, and discipleship in the context of translation checking. It is less about approval and more about serving and helping. What translation resources do you really value? Paratext is incomparable. I am very grateful for those who developed it, and also for the interagency collaboration that has developed. Scripture Forge has changed the Bible translation landscape as an AI engine that can extrapolate from a corpus of translated Scripture to draft more. How do you continue to grow as a consultant? I maintain a list of 20-30 verses in Hebrew that I write out, one a day, to help keep Hebrew at top of mind. I also am patiently working through a Hebrew grammar. I read Indonesian history books and occasionally watch an Indonesian film on YouTube to keep my fluency sharp. How do you share your translation discoveries with others? I have seen the biennial Bible Translation conference as the chief venue for me to share thoughts about our discipline. What do you see as the place of the church in Bible translation? We in the translation organizations need to zealously court a relationship with churches and other Great Commission ministries. They have a growing desire for involvement in the Bible translation cause. They no longer are satisfied to “outsource” needed Bible translation work to the Bible translation specialists. We need to position ourselves as equippers and servants to God’s people around the world to help them do the Bible translation part of the Great Commission well.

What is the most gratifying thing you have done as a translation consultant? I mentored a retired Indonesian pastor to help translation teams check their translations for faithfulness. After I was asked to take over the Seed Company CEO role in 2020, he stepped in and began handling a heavy load of checking in central Indonesia on his own. The local denomination has recognized him as an official translation consultant and he continues to make a great contribution. 3 John 4 says “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” I feel that way about those I have mentored who are serving translation teams well.

AI & Translation Spot The ‘Potato’ Prompt Phil King Thanks to Ruthie Wagner (LBT) for sending me information about the ‘Potato Prompt' - a way to help you use AI Large Language Models (like ChatGPT) in a way that strengthens critical reflection. Here’s a summary of how it can work, based on the article Ruthie shared with me - this summary was drafted with AI assistance and then checked for accuracy.

Many of us are beginning to use AI tools such as ChatGPT to support Bible translation work — for research, drafting ideas, exploring terminology, or planning projects. But one common problem is that AI systems are often too agreeable. They tend to confirm our ideas rather than challenge them. A recent Tom’s Guide article described a simple technique called the “Potato Prompt” that can help overcome this. The idea is straightforward. You tell ChatGPT to stop being merely helpful and instead become a critical reviewer of your ideas. Here’s a possible prompt to use, that you can enter into a new chat, so that it can be used in your future conversations: “Whenever I type “Potato” followed by an idea, argument, or plan, switch into adversarial analysis mode. Your task: Identify 3 specific failure points or weaknesses. Identify 2 assumptions that are unsupported or insufficiently justified. Provide 1 strong counter-argument from an intelligent skeptic. Prioritize precision, logic, evidence, incentives, and real-world constraints. Avoid reassurance, hedging, or unnecessary politeness. Be concise and concrete.” You can then give ChatGPT your proposal, question, or draft. For example: “Potato: We should translate ‘Pharisee’ using the local word for ‘religious leader’ because readers will understand it more easily.” Instead of simply agreeing, ChatGPT may point out possible weaknesses:

Does this lose important historical meaning? Could readers confuse Pharisees with respected modern leaders? Are there better options such as transliteration plus explanation? What would happen in passages where Pharisees are portrayed negatively? This kind of “stress testing” can help translation teams think more carefully before making decisions. Possible Uses in Bible Translation - The Potato Prompt could also be used for: Exegetical research - Asking AI to challenge an interpretation and identify alternative readings or assumptions. Community engagement - Reviewing plans for working with churches and local communities, highlighting possible blind spots or risks. Choosing key terms - Testing whether a proposed rendering might introduce theological confusion, cultural misunderstanding, or unwanted connotations. Creating glossary entries - Asking AI to identify what is unclear, culturally unfamiliar, or overly technical in a draft glossary explanation. Translation planning - Evaluating which Scripture portions or books should be translated next, and identifying overlooked factors. A Helpful Reminder - AI tools can be extremely useful conversation partners, but they are not authoritative sources. They can still make mistakes, invent information, or present weak arguments confidently. Research on AI systems consistently shows both impressive capabilities and important limitations, especially around reasoning and factual accuracy. The value of the Potato Prompt is not that the AI becomes “right,” but that it becomes better at helping us think critically. Used wisely, prompts like this can make ChatGPT less of a “yes-man” and more of a discussion partner - particularly valuable in the careful, collaborative work of Bible translation.

PS: To practice this approach, I entered this prompt into ChatGPT: 'Potato: I should use chatGPT to draft the articles for the ITS monthly newsletter'. It gave me a very helpful counter-argument:

'Using ChatGPT for a ministry newsletter subtly shifts the organization from communicating lived expertise to curating machine-generated prose. Over time, readers may perceive ITS as less grounded in real field relationships and more focused on polished institutional messaging. The efficiency gain is not worth the erosion of authenticity in a trust-based ministry'. So, we will continue to check how much we use AI in our communications!

News New DMin Graduate Roman Kim Congratulations to our colleague, Roman Kim, on completing his DMin program in Bible Translation at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. His May 2026 thesis is entitled: Beyond the Synodal: A Case Study of an Introductory Bible Translation Course and it's Impact on Russian Protestant Church Leaders.

Roman joined Wycliffe Russia in 2009. In 2012-2018 he was seconded to SIL and was then certified as a Translation Consultant by SIL Eurasia in 2021. He currently serves as a Translation Advisor and a Translation Consultant with PBT in the Caucasus. Abstract - This project was motivated by the problem of the mistrust toward modern Bible translations among Russian Protestants, who tend to favor the Synodal Bible, the first Russian translation published in 1876. By implementing an introductory Bible translation course in two seminaries in Russia, the researcher investigated how exposure to theology, history and theory of Bible translation impacts church leaders’ attitude toward modern Bible translations. Data collected from the participation in the course and responses of the students in the tests demonstrated that the course fostered greater appreciation for diverse Bible translations, encouraged leaders to incorporate modern translations into their ministries, and inspired more active participation in Bible translation missions.

Save the Date: Exploring the use of AI in Consultant Work Nick Peterson & Reinier de Blois Nick Peterson (SIL) and Reinier de Blois (UBS) will host an online (Zoom) discussion on how AI can be helpful in the task of consultant work and how consultants can mentor translation teams to use AI in their work. This is open to everyone and will be on Wednesday 05 August at 13:00 UTC/ 8am Dallas. More information will be forthcoming.

Guatemala CLATUB Report Jaime Ayala “The mission begins with God and is entrusted to the entire church. In order to fulfill it, His Word needs to be made available in every language, which is why translating it is an ongoing act of obedience. Translation and discipleship are “two sides” of that same obedience…” Thus begins the initial summary statement of the first Latin American Congress on Translation and use of the Bible (CLATUB

• Congreso Latino Americano de Traducción y Uso de la Biblia) which was held at the Theological Seminary of Central

America (SETECA) from 14-16 April 2026 in Guatemala City.

The event was coordinated by COMIBAM and the National Translation Roundtables throughout the region, with the theme, “Your Word is Truth,” (John 17:17). It was the first of its kind in Latin America, with specific emphasis on Bible translation. Approximately 391 participants attended from more than 20 countries. Approximately fifty speakers led plenary sessions and workshops, which covered a wide variety of Bible translation topics, such as, “From the First Translation to Latin America,” and “The Word of God for all Peoples,” to name a few. It was a wonderful opportunity to bring together mission leaders, cross-cultural workers, translators, students, and those representing a myriad of organizations throughout Latin America to focus on Bible translation and related ministries. Please refer to the CLATUB website for additional information.

Survey for Language Technology Impact & Use Chris Hirt Chris Hirt with SIL Language Technology is asking you to fill out this Survey of Language Technology Impact & Use.

SIL Language Technology needs you! They develop innovative technologies that enable communities to engage with Scripture and flourish in the languages they value the most. But to prioritize their resources wisely, they need to hear from all of you as to which tools and fonts are important to you and your work.

Click this link: https://forms.gle/ssvFyB8D5UNGPgN59. Please also send this survey on to your colleagues and lists, both inside and outside of SIL, for anyone who may use or appreciate SIL Language Technology. Your positive responses will be used to encourage Language Technology members, their supporters, and to promote the good our technology is doing.

Open Position: Scriptura Exegetical Analyst and Resource Writer Thomas Hemphill Thomas Hemphill (Scriptura Director of Field) is recruiting for the open position of Exegetical Analyst and Resource Writer. This role is currently structured as a volunteer or support-raised ministry appointment rather than a salaried staff position. It can be full-time or part-time, working remotely with a minimum one year commitment required. Scriptura is seeking a person with both advanced exegetical training and substantial Bible translation experience to join its Core Team in the development of Psalms resources for Bible translators worldwide.

This is a specialized scholarly-service role for someone who is equally at home in the details of the Hebrew text and in the realities of translation decision-making. The successful candidate must be able not only to analyze what a psalm is doing exegetically, but also to recognize which textual features are likely to create interpretive, communicative, poetic, or theological challenges when translators attempt to render that psalm in another language.

Coming Events 2026 - 15 Jun-24 July. Asia TCDW (Translation Consultant Development Workshop). Email Angie Foo for application. 2026 - 26 July. Taste of FLExTrans (Online). Register at this link. 2026 - 05 Aug. Exploring the use of AI in Consultant Work (Online). Email Nick Peterson 2026 - 10-21 Aug. FLEx Parser Workshop (Nairobi) 2026 - 25 Aug 15:00 UTC. Global CoPs for BT Consultants. Online. "What is a word?" Anthropology insights into communication theory and what this means for Bible translation (Johannes and Sharon Merz)

2026 - 14-25 Sep. Oral Bible Translation Consultant Workshop. Johannesburg, South Africa. Contact Kris Toler for further information. 2026 - 16 Sep. Taste of FLExTrans (Online). Register at this link. 2026 - 2-6 Nov. FLExTrans Workshop (Online). Contact Emily Havens 2026 - 17 Nov 15:00 UTC. Global CoPs for BT Consultants (Online). Greek linguistics (Michael and Rachel Aubrey) 2026 - 12-19 Nov. Translation Development Event (EurAsia). For further information contact Thomas Hemphill or Amber Jasa. 2026 - 21-24 Nov. Global Bible Translation Studies Consultation (GBTS) at The Society of Biblical Literature (SBL). Denver 2027 - Oct. Bible Translation Conference. Cape Town, South Africa. Theme: Bible Translation and Humanity - the image of God in context

Useful Links Donate to SIL Translation Services / BT Glossary / Translation Development Event Bible Translation Consultant Competencies / YouTube channel for BT Competencies Linguistic Standards and Deliverables for Bible Translation website SIL Senior Translation Consultants / BT Communities of Practice Email the SIL International Translation Office / International Translation Services ILS 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) Journal of Translation / Mentoring Matters website - Mentor Training Courses Consultant Development and Management Team Progress.Bible Information / Memoriam website

SIL Translation Services International Leadership Team Phil King - ITS Director Angeline Foo - SIL Coordinator for Translation Research and Practice Nick Peterson - SIL Coordinator for Translation Resources Kris Toler - SIL Coordinator for Oral Translation Services Viji Mathew - Director, Global Consultant Pool Brian Migliazza - ITS Operations and Project Management

Area Translation Coordinators AsiaPacific - Angeline Foo & Greg Carlson EurAsia - Amber J and Team Africa - Drew Maust & Jonathan van den Broek Americas - Rick Floyd & Dwight Shaver & Dany Tasama GSLT - Bernadet van der Louw

Copyright © 2026 SIL Translation Services. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because of your interest in translation updates. This newsletter is produced by SIL Translation Services. 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.

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