SIL International Publications

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 text translation and local languages and cultures. Submit an article. Contact: .

Lastest issue: JOT 19.1 (2023)

JOT 19(1) Cover

Current Issue

Journal of Translation 19(1) (2023)

This issue of Journal of Translation is breaking new ground. In the 19 years of the Journal, this is the first time we have published an article in a language other than English. And we are doing this, not once but twice! Both are in French, and both complement one another on the subject of orality and Bible translation. One is by Cameroonian researcher and translation consultant Ervais Fotso Noumsi, and the other by French orality specialist Hélène Ballarin who provides a detailed report on the recent global orality conference and avenues of further reflection.

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This paper examines the relationship between church interpreting and Bible translation and suggests ways that the two can work in partnership. Church interpreting is understood as the process of taking what is said or signed in one language in a church context and producing a new version in another spoken or signed language. While historical and experimental research has revealed that interpreting and Bible translation were closely related in the past, the contemporary relationship between the two is ambiguous. This paper will argue that the two practices should be reconciled for practical,...
This paper considers the conceptualization of translation in Katharine Barnwell’s Bible Translation: An Introductory Course in Translation Principles, a popular textbook for Bible translation training programs in Africa. The recurring conceptual metaphors in this text are identified, and the metaphor TRANSLATION IS TRANSFER is analyzed. This research stems from the need to develop African Bible translators who conceptualize translation using concepts (metaphors) in their languages that are indicative of what activity they embark on in translation work. Reading through some of the training...
Conditional sentences with multiple conditions or alternative cases can be confusing and are challenging to translate. Those in Leviticus 4–5 are prime examples. Another challenge is that a “consistent” translation of the verb אָשַׁם ʼāšam can produce unclear or even nonsensical texts. Following an overview of conditional constructions in Biblical Hebrew, this paper presents an analysis of the if-clauses in Lev. 4–5 with a view to determining whether וְאָשֵׁם wəʼāšēm is part of the protasis or the apodosis. I conclude that וְאָשֵׁם wəʼāšēm belongs to the protasis, but the translation may...
La traduction orale de la Bible prend progressivement et de façon remarquable une place de choix dans l’univers de la traduction biblique. Notre article est une réflexion sur les dynamiques qui pourraient expliquer ce phénomène. Il suggère que la prise de conscience de l’importance de la traduction orale de la Bible est partie du fait que l’on se rende compte de l’importance, non seulement de l’oralité, mais aussi de l’oralité du document qu’est la Bible. Il entend éclairer le lecteur sur le concept d’oralité, d’établir le rôle qu’a joué l’oralité dans les textes originaux de la Bible et en..., Oral Bible translation is gradually and remarkably assuming a prominent place in the world of Bible translation. Our article reflects on the dynamics that might explain this phenomenon. It suggests that awareness of the importance of oral Bible translation began with the realization of the importance not only of orality, but also of the orality of the document that is the Bible. The aim is to shed light on the concept of orality, to establish the role that orality played in the original texts of the Bible, and to deduce the implications for the oral translation of the Bible. Our reflection...
Le travail de la traduction orale de la Bible (OBT) s’effectuant principalement en Afrique, la conférence intitulée Oral Bible Translation Global Gathering 2023 s’est tenue du 10 au 12 janvier 2023 à Entebbe, en Ouganda. Plus de 140 participants, issus de 43 pays, représentant des organisations telles que Faith Comes by Hearing, SIL, Seed Company, Wycliffe Global Alliance, United Bible Societies, Word for the World, ETEN et YWAM, pour ne citer qu’elles, ont été accueillis par l’Alliance Biblique d’Ouganda. L’objectif de cette conférence était de créer un espace pour écouter les voix de chacun..., With the work of Oral Bible translation (OBT) taking place primarily in Africa, the Oral Bible Translation Global Gathering 2023 conference was held from January 10 to 12, 2023 in Entebbe, Uganda. Over 140 participants from 43 countries, representing organizations such as Faith Comes by Hearing, SIL, Seed Company, Wycliffe Global Alliance, United Bible Societies, Word for the World, ETEN and YWAM, to name but a few, were hosted by the Bible Society of Uganda. The aim of the conference was to create a space for listening to each other's voices, and for discussion on useful tools for oral...
The public release of artificial intelligence tools such as Microsoft’s Bing Chat built on OpenAI’s generative pre-trained transformer (GPT) continues to spark extensive interest—attracting headlines, prompting important interdisciplinary questions, and posing dilemmas both ethical and methodological. The aim of this paper is to provide a sampling and temporal snapshot of AI-powered Bing’s abilities through the creation, translation, and adaptation of pseudo-biblical content. We adopt as our source text an AI-generated parable in the style of the King James Bible—here entitled “The Parable of...