Bible translation theory and practice rightly tend to focus on the actual text of Scripture. But many diverse, yet interrelated contextual factors also play an important part in the implementation of a successful translation program. The aim of this coursebook is to explore, in varying degrees of detail, a wide range of these crucial situational variables and potential influences, using a multidisciplinary approach to the task. Thus, in order to expand and enrich the field of vision, a progressive study of this complex process of intercultural, interlinguistic communication is carried out according to a set of overlapping sociocultural, organizational and situational cognitive orientations. These contextual factors provide a broader frame of reference for analyzing, interpreting and communicating the original Scriptures in a completely new, contemporary setting of transmission and reception. The three dimensions are then applied in a practical way to explore the dramatic "throne-room" vision of the Apostle John (Revelation 4-5) with reference to both the original Greek text and also a modern dynamic translation in Chewa, a southeastern Bantu language of Africa. A variety of exercises and assignments to stimulate critical and creative reflection as well as to illustrate the theoretical development of Contextual Frames of Reference is provided every step of the way. Not only is translation per se discussed, but the teaching and evaluation of translated texts and versions are also considered from several points of view in the final three chapters. An Appendix offers a foundational essay by Professor Lourens de Vries on the subject of primary orality and the influence of this vital factor in the crosscultural communication of the Bible.
Scripture Frames & Framing: A Workbook for Bible Translators illustrates and further develops some of the key ideas presented in the influential text Bible Translation: Frames of Reference (T. Wilt, ed., St Jerome, 2003). This workbook offers numerous exercises for analysing biblical texts and communicating them to contemporary audiences. The workbook proceeds by briefly introducing a key aspect of translation, giving exercises that will help clarify understanding of that aspect and of how it relates to translators? particular communication situations, and then moving on to a related aspect.
The various studies presented in this anthology underscore the foundational matter of translation in biblical studies as understood from the specific perspective of Biblical Performance Criticism. If the assumption for the biblical messages being received is not individual silent reading, then the question becomes, how does this public performative mode of communication affect the translation of this biblical material? Rather than respond to this in general theoretical terms, most in this collection of articles offer specific applications to particular Hebrew and Greek passages of Scripture. Almost all the authors have firsthand experience with the translation of biblical materials into non-European languages in communities who maintain a vibrant oral tradition. The premise is that the original Scriptures, which were composed in and for performance, are being prepared again for live audiences who will receive these sacred texts, not primarily in printed form, but first and foremost in community by means of oral and visual media. This volume is an invitation for others to join us in researching more intensely this intersection of sound, performance, and translation in a contemporary communication of the Word.
This volume aims to develop the discourse analysis techniques outlined in the author's previous work Comparative Discourse Analysis and the Translation of Psalm 22 in Chichewa. The focus of this edition is upon the analysis of larger (strophic/stanzaic) units for which a detailed methodology is set forth with specific application to the oracles of Hosea and Joel. It also explores the functional dynamics of prophetic discourse as manifested by its structural organization. Special studies of irony (Hosea) and recursion (Joel) are included as a means of more fully exploring the rhetorical features of these divine messages. The study concludes with a series of remarks directed particularly to those engaged in Bible translation in languages throughout the world.
An old dog (galu wamkota) does not dig for nothing," so the proverb says. The two authors, one from America (with 45 years in Zambia); the other from Zambia, explore the encounter of the Christian faith with African Traditional Religion, treating concept(s) of God, the world of the spirits, of powers and witchcraft, and then how the Bible can be translated into the language of Zambia and Malawi taking into account both changes in concepts of translation and in society
This workbook is intended to introduce translators, exegetes, Bible students, and communicators of the Scriptures to some of the main forms and functions of biblical literature, prose as well as poetry. The aim is to enable readers to better understand the original text and then convey selected texts in a correspondingly "literary" - artistic, poetic, rhetorical - manner in their mother tongue or another target language. These lessons have been prepared as a practical supplement to accompany the text Translating the Literature of Scripture (Wendland 2004), which expounds a literary-rhetorical approach to Bible translation, here termed Literary-functional equivalence (LiFE, for short). LiFE combines a concern not only for the artistic and literary dimension of the Scriptures, but also for relative functional parity as part of a flexible translation strategy. Most of the important literary types, or genres, found in the corpus of the Scriptures are described, illustrated, and applied in translation exercises. This text-intensive approach is intended to sharpen the translator's perception of these forms in the biblical writings, analyze them for greater understanding, and then employ this knowledge in the search for an equivalent manner and mode of expression in the target language. There are two principal concerns regarding quality control: accuracy and appropriateness. Regarding accuracy, the basic content and communicative intentions (i.e., the "meaning") of any translation of the Scriptures must remain sufficiently close to those of the original text. And regarding appropriateness, the final translation product must be widely acceptable to the constituency and to the purpose(s) for which it was commissioned and prepared. This Second Edition includes several major additions which considerably broaden the range of the issues covered and also exposes students and instructors alike to some additional perspectives. The various exercises of this workbook offer a practical methodology for helping not only Bible translators, but other readers as well, to better comprehend and to communicate some of the important poetic and rhetorical aspects of the original. This text can also be used to introduce theological instructors, students, and biblical exegetes in general to the prominent literary character of the Word of God. This vital dimension of the Scriptures is often ignored in exegetical textbooks and courses alike, so this workbook might well serve to fill a gap in the field of biblical studies. About the author Dr. Wendland teaches at the Lutheran Seminary in Lusaka, Zambia and is a United Bible Societies Translation Consultant based in that country. He is also affiliated with the Centre for Bible Interpretation and Translation in Africa at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Understanding Biblical Hebrew poetry is a formidable task and the complexity rises exponentially when attempting translation. This collection of studies examines both the analysis of select Psalms and their translation into English and a Bantu language. Wendland uses his "literary functional equivalence" (LiFE) approach to translation to discuss parallelism, chiastic structures, and other aspects of Hebrew discourse in poetry, and how these are manifested on both the micro- and macro-levels of a particular Psalm. Readers of this volume will - better appreciate the beauty and power of the Psalms with their diverse artistic and rhetorical features, - be able to develop their own method of investigating biblical poetry, - understand how to apply analytical insights to the practice of translation, and - evaluate translation techniques in published Scripture versions. This book gives analytic insights to translators, researchers, or commentators on biblical poetry.
This book applies a literary functional equivalence (LiFE) approach in a practical, procedure-documented manner to the text analysis and translation for various literature of the Scriptures. Eight case studies from the lyric corpus of the Hebrew Bible are considered: Job 28, Psalm 73, Proverbs 31, Psalm 137, Proverbs 26, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes 12 and Psalm 24. The author explains and illustrates a rhetorical literary-structure method with different focus and emphasis depending on the form, content and communication aim of the poetic book. Chapters conclude with implications and applications for Scripture translation. The biblical passages included here are not so frequently considered by scholars, teachers, and preachers, and may be neglected by translators due to their perceived difficulty. My cravings as a linguist, translator, poet, and ethno-arts supporter were all satisfied by the buffet Wendland sets before us. He compares...structures of Hebrew with those of... African] vernaculars...suggesting ways to translate them...using dynamic target language poetic devices and cultural forms. This is literature translating literature.... Dr. Brenda H. Boerger, from the Foreword Ernst R. Wendland (Ph.D., African Languages and Literature, University of Wisconsin) is an instructor at Lusaka Lutheran Seminary and a dissertation examiner in Zambian languages at the University of Zambia. A former UBS Translation Consultant, he still serves as Professor Extraordinary in the Centre for Bible Interpretation and Translation in Africa, Department of Ancient Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
This book is an autobiographical diary of the life and times of Ernst H. Wendland, Missionary to Africa. It covers his work from the years 1962 to the present. Good insight into Missionary Work and the African people can be obtained from reading this book.
Prophetic Rhetoric Case Studies in Text Analysis and Translation Second Edition Ernst R. Wendland SIL International(r) Publications in Translation and Textlinguistics 7 Why were the Hebrew prophets so persuasive? Of course, they were spokesmen for God, but another reason is their powerful manner of speaking-writing. In this book, an oral-rhetorical approach illumines their techniques and their relevance for students of Scripture today. Case studies are mostly from the "minor" prophets, but also include the more familiar texts of Ezekiel 33-37 and Isaiah 53. A fresh look via a dynamic literary model offers greater awareness of these as powerful communicators. Each study has a different focus, according to the form, content, and communicative aim of the prophetic book. Each chapter concludes with pertinent implications for the practice of Scripture translation. This book is a resource for theological students, those interested in translation studies and Bible translation, and teachers, consultants, and writers who are engaged in such studies. "In this age when scholars rush to criticize, and readers to over-spiritualize, Prophetic Rhetoric is a positive and significant contribution to understanding the complexity and richness of the biblical text" (from the Foreword). Ernst R. Wendland (Ph.D., African Languages and Literature, University of Wisconsin) is an instructor at Lusaka Lutheran Seminary and a dissertation examiner at the University of Zambia. A former UBS Translation Consultant, he serves as Professor Extraordinary in the Centre for Bible Interpretation and Translation in Africa, Stellenbosch Universit
What does "orality" (oral forms of discourse) have to do with the "Scriptures," a corpus of sacred written documents? The aim of these essays is to reveal how the field of "orality studies" concerns the manifold process of composing, translating, and transmitting the diverse texts of Scriptures. This oft-neglected oral/aural dimension of communication provides us with a sharper perception of and greater appreciation for the various literary features of the biblical writings and their associated semantic and spiritual implications. Part One, ORIENTATION, overviews the principal aspects of orality studies: key terms, methodologies, as well as controversies about the transmission of Scripture. Part Two, DOCUMENTATION, presents three illustrative "case studies" involving composition, featuring full-text analyses that expound an oral-oriented, literary-rhetorical "hearing" of Isaiah 66, John 17, and Philippians. Part Three, APPLICATION, invites readers to engage more actively with translating the biblical text by critically considering four additional passages from an oral-aural "soundpoint"-Song of Songs 8, Revelation 5, Philemon, and 1 Corinthians 13. The final chapter encourages the application of an orality-based methodology, to achieve an exegetically accurate, yet artistically dynamic transmission of the Bible in today's media-rich world. The book thus seeks to motivate its readers-whether teachers, students, translators, or mass-media communicators-to always lend a sensitive ear to the text whenever they engage the Scriptures. "Throughout this book, Wendland progressively, and with increasing intensity, draws our attention to an enormous amount of detailed examples of the manifold poetic and rhetorical phenomena encoded in biblical orature. The cumulative effect of these detailed examples builds a powerful case for the necessity of recognizing and exploiting the expressive nature and potential of biblical oral arts. Clearly, oral verbal arts communicate much more than "mere words." As Wendland puts it, they also 'animate hearts'" (from the Foreword). Ernst R. Wendland (Ph.D., African Languages and Literature, University of Wisconsin) is an instructor at Lusaka Lutheran Seminary and a dissertation examiner in Zambian languages at the University of Zambia. A former UBS Translation Consultant, he still serves as Professor Extraordinary in the Centre for Bible Interpretation and Translation in Africa, Department of Ancient Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa.
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