Journal of Translation (JOT)
The Journal of Translation is an open access, peer-reviewed academic journal of translation theory and practice with a special interest in sacred translation and local languages. See our submission guidelines to submit an article. Contact: .
Latest issue: JOT 20.1 (2024)
Current Issue
Journal of Translation 20(1) (2024)
In JOT 20.1, we present two articles on the wider context of translation. We begin with Doug Liao’s work on surveying the issue of post-colonialism and its effect on Bible translation. How big an issue is this? For some it is a deeply held topic of historical and current concern, and we invite you to follow and interact with Liao’s overview and conclusions.
SIL’s Executive Director, Dr. Michel Kenmogne, follows with a timely and thought-provoking topic on Bible Translation as Justice. He writes: “The translation of the Bible into minority languages has the potential to affirm the...
Despite its influence in the broader academy, postcolonial thought has had minimal impact on the study of Bible translation. This article examines postcolonialism, drawing out common themes from the contested descriptions of the discipline, and briefly reviews some of the ways postcolonial thought has contributed to Missiology, Biblical Studies, and Translation Studies. It then explores the general lack of interaction between postcolonial criticism and studies of Bible translation and suggests ways that attending to postcolonial critiques could benefit the field. The article concludes with...
In this century, the rise in mother-tongue speaker driven projects has led to the downplaying of the importance of linguistics. Many projects operate on the assumption that linguistic training is unnecessary for mother-tongue translators. There is documented evidence though that many translators are strongly influenced by a high prestige source text while drafting. In South Asia at least, a large number of organizations are doing translation, and not all of them value linguistic training. I contend that a more realistic solution is to have translation consultants pick up the slack by...
Working in related languages can be beneficial in that knowledge of one language can be applied to another without having to learn each one individually. Unfortunately, assumed equivalence often leads to mistakes and misunderstandings caused by false friends—often referred to as “false cognates”—that is, words that appear similar across language boundaries and are therefore assumed to have the same meaning. While the issue of false friends has been discussed with regards to language learning for decades, false friends are not always obvious and can single-handedly render translations...
A growing number of scholars and practitioners in Bible translation recognize the importance of considering local genres, although leading textbooks devote relatively little attention to this topic. In the meantime, many practitioners are unsure how to explore local genres effectively, while others doubt the value of doing so. This paper outlines a process for identifying and working with genres. Evidence both from the translation world and from other fields of study shows that genre awareness enhances translation quality, reception, and the translation process itself. The final section of...
The translation of the Bible into minority languages has the potential to affirm the dignity and worth of translating communities as people created in the image of God (imago dei). For my own people—the Ghomala’ of Cameroon—the use of the mother tongue was crucial for local acceptance of Christianity and identification as children of God. This article shows how biblical concepts of justice as both primary and restorative relate to the mission of God and the imago dei of all human beings. BIBLE TRANSLATION AS JUSTICE regards Bible translation as not just a pragmatic tool, but a fundamental...
Most English versions do not translate the additive gam in 1 Samuel 22:7. This article argues that Spanish versions such as the Reina- Valera revision of 1995 are correct in translating it también (‘also’) to indicate a parallel between ‘all of you’ (men of Benjamin) and the men with David.