Towards a Participatory Approach to Bible Translation (PABT)

TRANSLATING JONAH’S NARRATION AND POETRY INTO SABAOT Towards a Participatory Approach to Bible Translation (PABT) BY DIPHUS CHOSEFU CHEMORION DISSERTATION PRESENTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY AT STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY PROMOTER: Prof. L.C. JONKER CO-PROMOTER: Prof. C.H.J. VAN DER MERWE MARCH 2008 ii DECLARATION By submitting this dissertation electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained therein is my own, original work, that I am the owner of the copyright thereof (unless to the extent explicitly otherwise stated) and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it for obtaining any qualification. SIGNED:_____________________ DATE: 22 February 2008 Copyright © 2008 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved iii ABSTRACT TRANSLATING JONAH’S NARRATION AND POETRY INTO SABAOT: Towards a Participatory Approach to Bible Translation (PABT) By Diphus Chosefu Chemorion Recent developments in the field of translation studies have shown that a single translation of the Bible cannot be used for all the functions for which people may need a translation of the Bible. Unlike the case in the past when new versions of the Bible were viewed with suspicion, it is now increasingly acknowledged that different types of the Bible are necessary for different communicative functions. While many African communities have only a pioneer mother tongue translation of the Bible, Scripture use reports indicate that in some situations, the mother tongue translations have not been used as it was intended. The writer of this dissertation supports the view that some of the Christians in their respective target language communities do not use available mother tongue translations because they find them to be inappropriate for their needs. In the light of functionalist theories of translation, it is held in this dissertation that people who find existing translations to be unsuitable for their needs may need special alternative translations that are precisely designed to address their needs. The challenge, however, is how to identify the specific type of the alternative translation. Although the need for alternative versions of the Bible has been widely acknowledged, very few studies have been carried out on strategies for designing and producing functional and acceptable alternative translations that are also directly based on the biblical source texts. This study represents part of the necessary effort to identify theoretical strategies for designing and producing alternative translations with special functions. On the basis of contemporary theories of translation, the writer of this dissertation formulated a Participatory Approach to Bible Translation (PABT) and experimented with it in translating Jonah’s narration and poetry into the Sabaot language. The experiment was successful but a final conclusion can only be made after the strategy (PABT) has been subjected to further testing in different translation settings. iv OPSOMMING ©N SABAOT VERTALING VAN DIE NARRATIEF EN POËSIE IN JONA: Op weg na ©n Deelnemende Benadering tot Bybelvertaling (DBBV) Deur Diphus Chosefu Chemorion Onlangse ontwikkelings in die veld van vertaalstudie het getoon dat 'n enkele vertaling van die Bybel nie gebruik kan word vir al die funksies waarvoor mense 'n Bybelvertaling sou benodig nie. Anders as in die verlede toe nuwe Bybelweergawes met agterdog bejeën is, word dit nou toenemend erken dat verskillende Bybelweergawes nodig is vir verskillende kommunikatiewe funksies. Terwyl baie Afrika-gemeenskappe slegs 'n pionier moedertaal-Bybelvertaling het, dui Skrifgebruikstudies aan dat moedertaalvertalings in sommige situaties glad nie gebruik word soos wat dit bedoel was nie. Die outeur van hierdie proefskrif steun die siening van hierdie verslae wat aandui dat sommige Christene in hul onderskeie doeltaalgemeenskappe nie die beskikbare moedertaalvertalings gebruik nie, omdat hulle dit ontoepaslik vir hul behoeftes vind. In die lig van funksionele vertaalteorieë neem hierdie proefskrif die standpunt in dat mense wat bestaande vertalings ontoepaslik vir hul behoeftes vind, wel alternatiewe vertalings mag benodig wat spesifiek ontwerp word om hul behoeftes aan te spreek. Die uitdaging is egter om te bepaal hoe presies hierdie alternatiewe vertaling moet lyk. Hoewel die behoefte aan alternatiewe Bybelvertalings wyd erken word, is daar nog weinig studie gedoen oor strategieë waarmee funksionele en aanvaarbare alternatiewe vertalings wat direk op die Bybelse brontekste gebaseer is, ontwerp en gemaak kan word. Hierdie studie verteenwoordig 'n deel van die noodsaaklike poging om teoretiese strategieë vir die ontwerp en maak van alternatiewe vertalings met spesifieke funksies te vind. Op die basis van resente vertaalteorieë het die outeur van die proefskrif 'n Deelnemende Benadering tot Bybelvertaling (DBBV) geformuleer en uitgetoets in 'n Sabaot-vertaling van die narratiewe en poësie van die boek Jona. Die eksperiment was suksesvol, hoewel 'n finale konklusie slegs gemaak kan word nadat die strategie (DBBV) onderwerp is aan verdere toetsing in verskillende vertaalkontekste. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS As I recall the challenges that I encountered in studying scholarly literature, carrying out empirical research, and writing up this dissertation, I can only say that it is by the grace of God that the study has come to an end. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. I would like to express my gratitude to many institutions and individuals who contributed to my success in this study. First of all, I would like to thank my employer, Bible Translation and Literacy (BTL), as well as the Fondation Pour L'aide au Protestantisme Reforme (F.A.P.) for sponsoring my studies at the Stellenbosch University. I also want to extend my gratitude to my two promoters at Stellenbosch University, namely prof. L.C. Jonker and prof. C.H.J. Van der Merwe who tirelessly offered the necessary academic guidance and moral support during my studies. My gratitude also goes to Prof. Theodore H. Runyon for having laid the foundation of my Post-Graduate studies by sponsoring my Master of Theology (Th.M) programme at Candler School of Theology (Emory University), and for encouraging me to pursue doctoral studies. Similarly, I am grateful to Prof. Carol A. Newsom who taught me Old Testament lessons at Candler School of Theology and guided me on how to undertake critical studies on the Old Testament without losing focus on the fundamental aspects of the Christian faith. In the course of the current study, it became necessary for me to consult with several individuals in order to gain more insights on both theoretical and practical issues pertaining to Bible translation. For this reason, I would like to thank Prof. Christiane Nord for sending me some of her publications on functionalist model of translation. Similarly, I would like to thank the Rev. Micah Amukobole, former General Secretary of BTL, for providing me with valuable information on the origins of Sabaot Bible Translation and Literacy Project. My gratitude also goes to Mr. Mundara Muturi, the vi current General Secretary of BTL, who offered constructive criticism that helped to add clarity to my work. Similarly, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Iver Larsen, a BTL Translation Consultant who is also my professional mentor and immediate work supervisor. Besides allowing me adequate time to do my studies he also found time to go through my dissertation several times and made useful comments that contributed to the logical flow of the argumentation. My studies would not have been fully successful without the involvement of several colleagues in BTL (Nairobi Office) who offered me moral support and prayed regularly for my family and I in the course of my studies. For lack of space I cannot mention their names here but I am sincerely grateful for the part each of them played to ensure that I succeed in my studies. I also want to thank the staff of Sabaot Bible Translation and Literacy Project (SBTL) who assisted me in many ways as I did the empirical research in Mt. Elgon and Trans-Nzoia Disctricts. My special gratitude goes to my beloved wife, Edith, who stood by me all the time and took care of our family as I concentrated on writing this dissertation. I am also grateful to our children, Chebeni, Kiptengwer, Cheruto, and Chebet who endured the absence of their father as I spent valuable family time doing research both in Kenya and South Africa. Finally, I would like to thank other instistutions and individuals who equally contributed to the success of my studies but whose names have not been mentioned here. vii ABBREVIATIONS BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia BSK Bible Society of Kenya BTL Bible Translation and Literacy CEV Contemporary English Version CMS Church Missionary Society GNB Good News Bible LXX Septuagint NCCK National Council of Churches of Kenya NET New English Translation NJB New Jerusalem Bible NSJ New Sabaot Jonah NT New Testament OT Old Testament PABT Participatory Approach to Bible Translation RSV Revised Standard Version SBTL Sabaot Bible Translation and Literacy Project SIL Summer Institute of Linguistics SL Source Language ST Source Text STA Source Text Author TA Translation Agency TEV Today’s English Version TL Target Language TLC Target Language Community TT Target Text TWOT Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament UBS United Bible Societies WBTI Wycliffe Bible Translators International viii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ...............................................................................................................

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