Bible Translation and Language Elaboration: The Igbo Experience A thesis submitted to the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies (BIGSAS), Universität Bayreuth, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Dr. Phil.) in English Linguistics By Uchenna Oyali Supervisor: PD Dr. Eric A. Anchimbe Mentor: Prof. Dr. Susanne Mühleisen Mentor: Prof. Dr. Eva Spies September 2018 i Dedication To Mma Ụsọ m Okwufie nwa eze… who made the journey easier and gave me the best gift ever and Dikeọgụ Egbe a na-agba anyanwụ who fought against every odd to stay with me and always gives me those smiles that make life more beautiful i Acknowledgements Otu onye adịghị azụ nwa. So say my Igbo people. One person does not raise a child. The same goes for this study. I owe its success to many beautiful hearts I met before and during the period of my studies. I was able to embark on and complete this project because of them. Whatever shortcomings in the study, though, remain mine. I appreciate my uncle and lecturer, Chief Pius Enebeli Opene, who put in my head the idea of joining the academia. Though he did not live to see me complete this program, I want him to know that his son completed the program successfully, and that his encouraging words still guide and motivate me as I strive for greater heights. Words fail me to adequately express my gratitude to my supervisor, PD Dr. Eric A. Anchimbe. His encouragements and confidence in me made me believe in myself again, for I was at the verge of giving up. I want him to know that I owe my stay at BIGSAS to him, and that his academic rigour and push have made me a better researcher. I am forever in his debt. I appreciate my mentors, Prof. Dr. Susanne Mühleisen and Prof. Dr. Eva Spies, who did a lot to give this thesis its current shape. Their very constructive and insightful contributions individually and during our mentorate group meetings not only gave me focus but also drew my attention to the pitfalls in some of my earlier positions. They also showed me ways of further enriching my study. Prof. Spies’ seminars were also the platform where I presented most of my chapters and got very useful feedback. I am also indebted to other members of my doctoral examinations committee, Prof. Dr. (Barr.) Boniface M. Mbah and Prof. Dr. (Em.) Ulrich Berner for their immense and timely support during the examination’s procedure. On BIGSAS, I would say I got much more than I bargained for. My experience with the various workgroups I joined, editing an issue of BIGSASWorks and of BIGSAS World, presenting my research at numerous colloquia, conferences, workshops and seminars, participating in the BIGSAS@School projects, have all given me a different perspective to ii life and scholarship. They would guide me in my academic career and life generally. I also appreciate the funding from BIGSAS that enabled me to do this program. Ich bin sehr dankbar! My major attraction to BIGSAS was the fact that I would have other graduate students around with whom I would share ideas. Indeed, I benefited a lot from my colleagues at BIGSAS. When I was not clear about my research focus, their equally confused faces reassured me that I was in good company. I got the most biting criticisms and most fruitful suggestions from them. I particularly cherish the fraternal love of Dr. Leo Igwe who always took me to task on my generalizations, such that I had to learn to “anthropologize my statements”. I equally appreciate Pastor Dr. Justice Arthur and Dr. Liliane Ngawa with whom I started this journey. I am grateful to Azza Mustapha and other colleagues for their support in various forms. I acknowledge the professors and students of the CETRA Research Summer School of 2014 with whom I shared my ideas at the formative stage of this study. I am particularly grateful to Prof. Dr. Jose Lambert, Prof. Dr. Christina Schäffner and Dr. Sara Ramos Pinto for their feedback. I am also grateful to CETRA for the opportunity I had in co-editing Norm-Focused and Culture-Related Inquiries in Translation Research: Selected Papers of the CETRA Research Summer School 2014. The experience was indeed invaluable. I thank my colleagues in the Department of English, University of Abuja, who took on extra responsibilities in the Department to enable me to go for further studies. I also thank the authorities of the University of Abuja for granting me the Study Leave that enabled me to pursue this program. At the beginning of my study, I had a difficult time in getting copies of some of the Igbo Bible translations. On this I am grateful to Mrs Ngozi Onyeke, who kindly lent me her copy of the Igbo Catholic Bible when this translation went out of print, and my mother-in-law, Mrs Josephine Ibeneme who happily let go of her Igbo Living Bible, all to ensure that I succeed in my academic venture. I am indebted to Chidoo Ezika of the Department of Linguistics and other Nigerian Languages, University of Nigeria, and his wife, Dr. Ijeoma iii Anarado-Ezika, for hosting me during my fieldwork and helping in the administration of my questionnaires. Dr. Chuka Ononye and Dr. T. M. E. Chukwumezie of the Department of English of the same institution facilitated my administering the questionnaires to their undergraduate and graduate students. Dr. Ononye also helped in administering the questionaire to members of his church. I appreciate them, and the respondents to the questionnaire. To Chidimma I say thank you. I met her during my studies and, since we got married, she has been very supportive. Perhaps, without her support I might not have finished my studies by now. What is more, she gave me the best gift ever, our son Dikeọgụ. Their love and encouragements, more than anything else, pushed me to strive for excellence and I dedicate this project to them. I further thank our parents and siblings for their numerous calls and reassurance. Azubike Nwanji and David Mikailu have been brothers indeed, in every sense of the word. My sister-in-law Chinyeaka and my brother Chinedu are simply the best anybody could wish for. Indeed, ife adị ka nwanne. Nothing can be compared to siblings. I owe them a lot. iv Table of Contents Dedication ................................................................................................................................................................. i Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................................................. ii Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................................. v List of Figures ......................................................................................................................................................... x List of Tables ......................................................................................................................................................... xii Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................................................... xv Summary ............................................................................................................................................................... xvi INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 0.1 Good News to the Poor Scattered Sheep ......................................................................................... 1 0.2 Judeo-Christian Paradigms in Studies of Igbo Religious Practices ....................................... 3 0.3 Aim of Research and Research Questions ...................................................................................... 5 0.4 Methodology .............................................................................................................................................. 6 0.5 Synopsis of the Chapters ....................................................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................................................... 11 THE IGBO PEOPLE AND THEIR LANGUAGE ............................................................................................ 11 1.1 The Igbo People ..................................................................................................................................... 11 1.1.1 The World of Man and the World of Spirits ....................................................................... 14 1.1.2 Belief in the Supreme God ........................................................................................................ 17 1.2 The Igbo Language ............................................................................................................................... 20 1.2.1 The Dialects of Igbo ..................................................................................................................... 20 1.2.2 The Evolution of Standard Igbo ............................................................................................. 22 v CHAPTER 2 ..........................................................................................................................................................