An overview of recent developments in translation studies with special reference to the implications for Bible translation (original) (raw)
Related papers
Contemporary Approaches to Bible Translation Origins, Characteristics and Issues
Serie Monografica De Ciencia Das Religioes Coleccao Pensar a Religiao, 2013
For most of the last half of the twentieth century the tendency was to think of Bible translations in terms of a binary opposition between literal or idiomatic, or, in other words, dynamic equivalence versus formal equivalence. Further academic discussion and, especially, the development of the whole academic field of translation studies has led to the problematizing of such a simple dichotomy and to much broader analyses of translation work and products including sociological, cultural, economic, rhetorical and ideological factors. In this essay we will first give an overview of developments in contemporary approaches to Bible translation around the world in the past few decades and then consider some recent translations of the Bible into the Portuguese language and how they relate to some of the themes and issues discussed in the first part of this essay.
HISTORY AND THEORY OF SCRIPTURE TRANSLATIONS
In the missionary expansion of Christianity, Scripture translations have served as the main catalyst even if they have sometimes been taken for granted. From a historical perspective, it can rightly be argued that Christianity owes its very being to translations. This paper addresses this issue through a threefold working hypothesis: Is there anything going on in translation theory? Are recent translation theories significantly different form that of E.A. Nida? Can Bible translation in Africa contribute anything to translation study? These questions will be dealt with in the second part of this paper. However, the first part of the paper is devoted to the historical background of Bible translation practices. After presenting a working definition of Scripture translation, this part will explore the origin, development and interpretative role of Scripture translations.
The Power of Bible Translation
Priscilla Papers, 2019
Author: Aloo Osotsi Mojola Publisher: CBE International The Bible generates a range of complex and often ambiguous attitudes. For some the Bible is perceived as an oppressive tool that has historically been used to alienate and dehumanize. It has been viewed as an instrument of empire, of colonial and cultural domination, of conquest and subjugation. At various times and places, the Bible has been used as a basis for the discrimination and oppression of women and minorities. The Bible is not neutral. Its entry into a culture sends mixed messages. Where some see loss, others see gain. Where some see dispossession, others see empowerment. Where some see conquest, others see freedom. Where some see cultural dispossession and alienation, others see a call and challenge to reclaim the divine image—and thus equality and dignity—in all humans. For many in the church, the Bible is viewed as a transformative and indispensable tool. It is the church’s guiding document, central to the formulation of her creeds, to the formation of her faith and practice, to the fostering and nurturing of just and loving communities. Bible translators strive to provide access to this ancient text. Indeed, without translation the biblical writings and their rich treasures would be forever inaccessible. The vast majority of people read or hear a translated Bible, a domesticated Bible that by means of translators’ mediation has crossed boundaries of time and space, of language and culture.
The Bible Translation Imbroglio
Second Language Learning and Teaching
The present paper is concerned with a comparison of selected versions of the texts constituting what is commonly called the Bible as an object of philological studies including comparisons of numerous original and translated versions respectively, as a historical source by means of the usual methods of verification and as a sacred text revealed by God Himself to help people gain salvation. This approach treats the Bible as the "Word of God", that is the way in which God speaks to people. The focus is laid on the first approach with a special stress on divergences among numerous selected translated versions of the Bible including Greek, Latin, English, Polish, and occasionally other languages. Thus, whatever is said here will concern what can be attested in the course of examining and comparing the relevant texts, i.e. what can be found in these texts rather than what these texts may refer to in the world at large, i.e. what occurs outside these texts.
Zeramim, 2019
The topic of Bible translation has come to the fore recently with Robert Alter's The Hebrew Bible: A Translation with Commentary 1 , a work that completes Alter's decades-long project of translating the entire Tanakh. I want to put this newest translation into the larger context of Bible translations, especially English Bible translations, and examine many of the issues involved in translating the Bible and the choices that translators make.
Towards a Theoretical Framework for a Systematic Study of Theological Influence in Bible Translation
Journal of Translation, 2022
Although Bible scholars have generally acknowledged that theology plays an important role in Bible translation, affecting it from beginning to end, no studies have been done to date to offer a systematic, theoretical explanation of this phenomenon, thus leaving this subject a largely unmapped territory for study. As an initial attempt to fill this gap, this paper explores theological influence in Bible translation in terms of its theoretical foundation and seeks to find suitable theoretical concepts from both the fields of translation studies and Biblical translation studies in order to construct a theoretical framework that can be used to sharpen and enrich the study of this phenomenon. The paper first addresses the generally negative or fearful attitude toward the subject and then explores the possibility of applying the theoretical concepts of norms (Toury and Chesterman), narrative (Baker), constraints (Lefevere), "Skopos" (Nord), "contextual frame of reference" (Wendland), and "Bible translation polysystem theory" (Kerr) for developing a theoretically-sound, disciplined, and comprehensive study of theological influence in Bible translation. Convinced that Bible translation is inherently a theological task and it is important to enhance our understanding of the theological nature and dimension of Bible translation for theoretical, pedagogical, and translational purposes, this paper proposes that with these five theoretical frameworks at our disposal, it is possible for the multifaceted theological influence involved in Bible translation to be studied in a more objective and systematic way in order to achieve a greater awareness and understanding of their profound and consequential interrelationships.
Toward a Theology of Translation - final
Bible Translation Conference Paper, 2019
Toward a theology of Bible Translation Bible translation is a missiological enterprise, advancing the mission of God. This paper presents Bible translation as a theological undertaking, and outlines an initial theology of Bible translation. Theological studies discuss the nature of God, humanity, sin, incarnation, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church, and the last things. The first question addressed is this: Is Bible translation a theological exercise? Can a theology of Bible translation be appropriately developed? Next, I examine the interaction of a theology of Bible translation with the areas of theology listed above as I develop my preliminary thoughts toward a theology of Bible translation. In order to move toward a current theology of Bible translation, I integrate examination of relevant literature, relevant Scripture, and the practice of Bible translation.