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:github_url: https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_glm/src/branch/master/docs/gl_translation.rst
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.. _gltranslation:
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Gateway Language Translation
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============================
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Introduction
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------------
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.. note:: This module answers the question, "What is the Gateway Language Manual?"
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The Gateway Language Manual is for the use of translators and checkers of the Gateway Language (GL) resources. It contains instructions for translating the unfoldingWord resources from English into a :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`, checking the translated :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` resources, and aligning the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` Literal Text and :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` Simplified Text to the original languages.
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Before translating or checking any of these resources, please read the manual carefully. It presents the unique properties of each of the resources, the purpose of each one, and how each one functions as part of a complete translation package for the use of Other Language (OL) translators.
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If you fail to understand the properties and purpose of the resource that you are translating or checking, that resource will not be able to fulfil its purpose and the translation package that you produce will be defective. But if you follow these guidelines and understand well how each resource functions, you will produce a set of translation resources that will allow the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translators to create accurate, natural, and clear translations of the Bible in their own languages.
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.. seealso:: The Gateway Language Strategy at http://ufw.io/gl/.
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.. _gltranslation-whatneedstrans:
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What Needs To Be Translated?
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---------------------------
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.. note:: This module answers the question, "What must be translated in the Gateway Languages?"
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In order to have a useful set of resources to support a high-quality Bible translation, the following materials must be translated into the Gateway Languages.
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* `translationAcademy <https://unfoldingword.org/academy/>`_ (UTA)
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* `Open Bible Stories <https://openbiblestories.com>`_ (OBS) text
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* `Open Bible Stories translationNotes <https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_obs-tn>`_ (OBS-UTN)
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* `Open Bible Stories translationQuestions <https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_obs-tq>`_ (OBS-UTQ)
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* `unfoldingWord Literal Text <https://unfoldingword.org/ult/>`_ (ULT) Text
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* `unfoldingWord Simplified Text <https://unfoldingword.org/ust/>`_ (UST) Text
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* `translationNotes <https://unfoldingword.org/tn/>`_ (UTN)
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* `translationWords <https://unfoldingword.org/tw/>`_ (UTW)
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* `translationQuestions <https://unfoldingword.org/tq/>`_ (UTQ)
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We recommend that you translate the resources basically in the order given in the list above, although it is not necessary to finish an entire resource before starting the next. By translating some of the basic modules of :abbr:`UTA (unfoldingWord Translation Academy)` first, the translators will gain knowledge of how to translate well, and also make that knowledge available in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` for the rest of the translation team. Translating the :abbr:`OBS (Open Bible Stories)` resources next will give the translation team members valuable experience in translating as they work through a simplified presentation of biblical content. Then the translation team will be ready to start translating the :abbr:`UTW (unfoldingWord translation Words)`.
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The following table illustrates the unfoldingWord resources that are under development in English (column one), and which of those are to be translated into the Gateway Language (column two). A few of those are then to be translated into the target language (column three). The target language translator will not directly translate the GLT, GST, GTN, and GTW, but will use them as resources to translate the Bible into the target language.
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.. image:: images/GLManualimage1.png
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:width: 760
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Color Explanation Note:
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Blue = resource gets translated from English to GL to OL
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Brown = does not get translated
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Green = get translated just to GL
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Pink = resources that become the OL Bible
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It is important that you translate the text of the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` and the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` before you translate UTN, UTW, and UTQ. This is because the text of the GLT (the translation of the ULT into the Gateway Language) provides the context for the other three resources. Without this context, the translators of UTN, UTW, and UTQ will not know how they should translate. For the same reason, the text of OBS should be translated before the Notes, Questions, or Words resources that belong to OBS. It is not necessary to complete all 50 stories of OBS before starting to translate the other resources, however. You can start to translate the resources for an OBS story after that story is complete. For the books of the Bible, you will need to translate in a similar way: First translate the ULT and UST for a Bible book, then the UTN, UTW and UTQ resources for that same Bible book. This is necessary because the ULT, UST, UTN, and UTW are not yet complete for all of the Bible books. This is also a good translation procedure so that the translation team can see how the resources work together very early in the process. This is instead of translating the entire ULT before the entire UST, or the ULT New Testament before the UST New Testament. If desired for long books, you could translate all of the resources for each chapter before moving on to the next chapter. Once all of the resources for a Bible book have been completely checked, then an OL translation team could start using them to translate, without having to wait for the entire Bible to be ready.
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We recommend that you translate all of the translation resources for a Bible book together. For example, you would translate the ULT of Titus, then the UST of that same book. Then you would use those to translate the UTN, UTW, and UTQ for Titus. Then you would repeat the process for the next book. (For information about which books of the Bible to translate first, see the UTA module `Choosing What to Translate <https://door43.org/u/unfoldingWord/en_ta/master/03-translate.html#translation-difficulty>`_.)
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What is the Recommended Translation Process?
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Open Bible Stories
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"""""""""""""""""""
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The following is the process that we recommend for translating OBS. The numbers in the list below correspond to the steps as illustrated in the following diagram.
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1. Using translationStudio, make a first draft translation of a complete OBS story in the GL. Use the English Translation Notes and Translation Words tools to guide your translation.
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2a. Check the translation of the OBS story with a partner on your translation team. It can be helpful to trade stories with a team member and offer suggestions for improvement to each other.
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2b. Check the translation of the OBS story with the full translation team. It can be helpful to read the story out loud while others follow along in the written text, and to discuss suggestions for improvement together.
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3. Check the translation of the OBS story using the English Translation Notes and Translation Words tools in translationStudio for that Bible book. Look for ideas in the Notes and Words that can improve the translation.
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4. Using the newly translated OBS story in the Gateway Language (the GL OBS) as a reference, translate the Translation Notes (UTN) and the Translation Words (UTW) for that OBS story, using translationCore Create. We will refer to these translations as the GTN and GTW, respectively.
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5. Check the GTN and the GTW for accuracy by comparing them again to the GL OBS in translationCore Create. Specifically, make sure that the notes of the GTN make sense with the GL OBS story. If not, edit them so that they do make sense with the GL OBS story. Also make sure that the articles in the GTW provide good and clear definitions of the terms that are used in the various contexts of the GL OBS story.
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6. Check the translation of GL OBS, GTN, and GTW with leaders of church networks for their validation. Either before or after this step, translate the Translation Questions for the OBS story using translationCore Create.
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7. After finishing all of the OBS stories, publish the translation of the GL OBS, GTN, GTW, and GTQ for the OBS on Door43 to make them freely available for the use of OL translation teams.
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.. image:: images/GLManualimage2.png
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:width: 760
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Books of the Bible
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"""""""""""""""""""
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The following is the process that we recommend for translating a book of the Bible. By design, it is very similar to the process for translating OBS. But there are distinct differences, primarily due to the unique characteristics of the ULT and UST. Follow this process for a book of the ULT, and then follow it again to translate the same book of the UST. The numbers in the list below correspond to the steps as illustrated in the following diagram.
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1. Using translationStudio, make a first draft translation in the GL of a book of the Bible for the ULT, and then for the UST. When these are translated into the Gateway Language, we will refer to them as the GLT and GST, respectively.
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2a. Check the translation of the GLT with a partner on your translation team. Then do the same with the GST.
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2b. Check the translation of the GLT with the full translation team. Then do the same with the GST.
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3. Check the translation of the GLT using the English Translation Notes and Translation Words tools in translationCore for that Bible book. Then do the same with the GST.
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4. Align the GLT and GST translations with the original languages using the Aligning Tool in translationCore.
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5. Using the newly translated version of the ULT in the Gateway Language (the GLT) as a reference, translate the Translation Notes (UTN) and the Translation Words (UTW) for that Bible book, using translationCore Create. We will refer to these translations as the GTN and GTW, respectively.
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6. Check the GTN and the GTW for accuracy, using the GLT and GST in translationCore. Specifically, make sure that the notes of the GTN make sense with the GLT and helpfully explain the rendering in the GST. Also make sure that the articles in the GTW provide good and clear definitions of the terms that are used in the various contexts of the GLT.
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7-8. Check the translation of the GLT, GST, GTN, and GTW with leaders of church networks for their validation.
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9. Publish the translation of the GLT, GST, GTN, and GTW for the Bible book on Door43 to make them freely available for the use of OL translation teams.
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.. image:: images/GLManualimage3.png
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:width: 760
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In addition to the resources named above, unfoldingWord is developing original language resources that are open-licensed and free to use, adapt, and translate. We recommend that these also be translated into each GL so that everyone can have access to them. These are the unfoldingWord Greek Lexicon, the unfoldingWord Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, the unfoldingWord Greek Grammar, and the unfoldingWord Hebrew Grammar. These are, however, currently still works in progress.
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Why Translate Two Bibles into the Gateway Languages?
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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Some people might ask this question, because adequate Bibles already exist in most of the Gateway languages. However, the existing translations are end-user Bibles, designed to be read and studied by people who speak those languages in their homes and churches. The Bibles that we are translating are not end-user Bibles. They are Bible texts designed to be used in conjunction with each other and with the other translation helps as a set of tools that will allow speakers of other languages to use them to translate a Bible into their own languages. What translators produce from these tools will be an end-user Bible.
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To make an end-user Bible, it is always best to translate from more than one version so that the translator does not fall into the habit of following too closely the form of any one version. Also, it is always possible to translate something in more than one way in a target language, and often the biblical language has more than one possible meaning. Looking at multiple versions that between them reveal these differences gives the translator a window into those things that a single version would not give. This benefit is maximized when the two (or more) source Bibles use very different styles, such as literal and simplified. Having a literal version and a simplified version side by side gives the translator a “three-dimensional” view into the original text, allowing him to see both the form and the meaning at the same time. It is for this purpose that we are providing the ULT and the UST.
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.. seealso:: :ref:`gltranslation-transult`, :ref:`gltranslation-transust`
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.. _gltranslation-transult:
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Translating translationAcademy
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------------------------------
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.. note:: This module answers the question, "What are the guidelines for translating translationAcademy?"
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.. seealso:: :ref:`gltranslation-transult`, :ref:`gltranslation-transtn`, :abbr:`tA (translationAcademy)` module `Introduction to translationAcademy <https://door43.org/u/unfoldingWord/en_ta/master/01-intro.html>`_, The Gateway Language Strategy at http://ufw.io/gl/.
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Recommended Training and Experience
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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:abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` contains many lessons on specialized topics, such as language, translation issues, and biblical studies. Some of the vocabulary is also specialized. We recommend that the people who translate :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` into a :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` have a **college-level education or some training and experience in the particular area that they are translating**. For example, if you are translating the Translation Manual, it would be good if you have training and experience in linguistics and translation. You will be able to translate more accurately and clearly if you have experience in the topic.
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This means that you will want to have **several specialists** on your translation team, with each specialist translating the parts that they are most familiar with. If you find that some lessons are unclear, discuss the problem with other members of the team until you understand what the lesson is trying to teach. If you still do not understand, contact unfoldingWord. You cannot translate something that you do not understand. If you try to do that, the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator will not be able to understand it, either, or be able to use it.
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Recommended Reference Materials
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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We recommend that you use specialized dictionaries as you translate to help you understand the concepts that you are translating. Do not use unusual or technical words in your translation if there is a simpler way to communicate the same thing. Remember that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translators speak the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` as a second language, so they will not know unusual or technical words. Try to keep the lessons uncomplicated and clear, using simple language as much as you can. We have tried to write the lessons of :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` using simple language, so please follow this same style.
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Adaptations Must Be Made
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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In order for :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` to be useful in the Gateway Language, it must be adapted from the English version. The examples of different grammatical structures in :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` are all taken from English, but they will all need to be changed so that they illustrate the grammar of the Gateway Language. Do not just translate the English examples unless the Gateway Language works the same way. For example, it is unlikely that possessives work the same way in the Gateway Language as they do in English. Please change those examples so that they illustrate what possesives do in the Gateway Language. Please also change any descriptions of sentence structure and parts of speech whenever necessary so that they describe the Gateway Language rather than English.
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Some articles will not apply in the Gateway Language and can be skipped. For example, if the Gateway Language has both a singular and a plural form of “you,” it is not necessary to translate the article, “Forms of ‘You’ — Singular.”
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Many articles of :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` contain verses from the UnfoldingWord Literal Text (ULT) in order to illustrate different translation difficulties. These will all need to be replaced by those verses in the Gateway Language Literal Text (GLT). This may mean that you will need to translate the example verses from English as you translate :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` and then go back and replace them with the actual verses from the GLT when that has been translated.
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We want :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` to be useful for the translators that speak your Gateway Language, so please make any changes that are necessary so that it works well in your language.
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.. seealso:: :ref:`glchecking-checkingtn`, :ref:`glchecking-checkingult`
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Translating the ULT
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-------------------
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.. note:: This module answers the question, "What are the guidelines for translating the ULT?"
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Translation Theory for Translating the ULT
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` is designed to be used in conjunction with the :abbr:`UTN (translationNotes)` and the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` as a tool for Bible translation. Unlike the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` and unlike an end-user Bible, the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` is designed to reflect the forms of the source languages, so that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator can see what they are. By using the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator can "look through" it to see how the original Bible expressed the biblical ideas.
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As you translate the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` you must try to retain the grammatical and syntactic structures of the original as far as the target language (:abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`) will allow. If the original structure does not make sense in the target language, then you will need to change it into a structure that does make sense. It is not useful to make a translation that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator will not be able to understand. But as far as the target language will allow, retain the structures of the original in your translation of the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`. It is possible that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` expresses that meaning in the same way.
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Notes About Making a “Literal” Translation
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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1. It is not possible to maintain a one-for-one correspondence between words in translation. One word from the source language may require a phrase for its translation in the target language, and vice-versa.
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2. Even though the ULT is a “literal” text, that does not mean that every word from the original language will be translated in the same way each time it occurs. We will always seek to use the meaning that the word has in its context, using whatever English word or phrase is closest to that meaning.
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3. Both Greek and Hebrew can make a sentence without using a verb, while English cannot. For the ULT to make sense, the verb will always be supplied (usually “is”).
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4. Greek makes abundant use of participial clauses. For the English of the ULT to make sense, often this must be changed to a relative or adverbial clause.
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5. The general rule is, retain the structures of the original unless English sense does not allow it. If it does not, make the necessary adjustments.
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What Method Should Be Used to Translate the ULT?
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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When translating the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, keep the English source open in front of you. This means that you should not use any methodology that includes a step of blind drafting. The reason for this is that blind drafting is a method that translators use in order to produce natural target language translations. Through blind drafting, the translator replaces structures from the source language that would be unnatural in the target language with structures that are natural for that target language. But the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` is a tool that must retain the original, biblical language structures in order to be useful to the translator. The best way to guard these structures is to translate with the English source :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` open in front of you so that you can be sure to keep these structures as they are in the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, as far as the target language will allow.
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Does Translation of the ULT Require a Back Translation?
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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.. include:: /includes/glchurchcapacity.txt
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.. include:: /includes/backtranslation.txt
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What Are the Structures of the ULT That Should Be Retained?
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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The translation of the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` needs to retain the original grammatical forms (as far as is possible), the idioms, and the figures of speech of the original so that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator can consider them and use them if they communicate the right thing in the target language. If those forms get changed in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` translation of the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, then the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator will never see them and the :abbr:`UTN (translationNotes)` about them will not make sense.
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Keep in mind that the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` and the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` are only going to be translated into the :abbr:`GLs (Gateway Languages)`, because they are translation tools for the use of the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator. We want these tools to be as useful as possible.
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For the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, this means that it should retain structures that we would not always retain in an end-user Bible. The :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` translator must understand that this translation will lack naturalness and sometimes also lack clarity because it is aiming at reproducing these original language structures and figures of speech that may not translate well into the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`. Wherever the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` translation lacks clarity, however, there should also be a note to explain the meaning of the structure for the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator. The :abbr:`UTN (translationNotes)` and the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` will provide the meaning wherever that meaning is in doubt in the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`. In this way, the tools will work together to provide the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator with a full set of information about both the form and the meaning of the original Bible.
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Examples
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^^^^^^^^
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Grammatical Forms
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"""""""""""""""""
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The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of Luke 2:47 reproduces a grammatical form from the Greek source language that is also natural in English, but that might not be natural in other languages. When talking about the boy Jesus at the temple, it says, "All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers." The nouns "understanding" and "answers" refer to events, not things, and so must be translated as verbs in many languages.
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The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` of the same verse gives an example of how these nouns can be translated as verbs. It says, "All the people who heard what he said were amazed at how much he *understood* and how well he *answered* the questions that the teachers asked."
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When translating the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, however, these nouns should be translated as nouns if that will make sense in the target language.
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Idioms
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""""""
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The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of Matthew 2:20 reproduces an idiom from the Greek source language. It refers to Herod and his soldiers who were trying to kill the child Jesus as, "those who sought the child's life." In some languages this is clear, and in others, it is not.
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The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` of the same verse tries to make the meaning clear by translating this idiom as, "the people who were trying to kill the child." Many :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` Bibles do the same thing.
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When translating the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, however, this idiom should be translated as it is, so that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator can consider it and use it if it makes sense. The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` and the :abbr:`UTN (translationNotes)` will provide the meaning.
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Figures of Speech
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"""""""""""""""""
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The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of John 1:17 reproduces a figure of speech from the Greek source language. It says, "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (This figure of speech is called "personification;" see the :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` module `Personification <https://door43.org/u/unfoldingWord/en_ta/master/03-translate.html#figs-personification>`_.) This figure of speech refers to grace and truth like people who can come and go, and it refers to Jesus Christ like a doorway that they can come through. In some languages this makes sense, but in other languages it does not. The plain meaning is that Jesus Christ acted toward us with grace and taught us true things about God.
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The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` of the same verse tries to make this plain meaning clear by translating it as, "Jesus Christ was kind to us far beyond what we deserved, and he taught us true things about God."
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When translating the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, however, this figure of speech should be translated as it is, so that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator can consider it and use it if it makes sense. If it does not, the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` provides an alternative way to translate it.
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.. seealso:: :ref:`gltranslation-adaptult`, :ref:`glchecking-checkingult`, :ref:`gltranslation-transust`, :abbr:`tA (translationAcademy)` module `Translation Difficulty <https://door43.org/u/unfoldingWord/en_ta/master/03-translate.html#translation-difficulty>`_.
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Translation Glossary for the ULT
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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A list of decisions as to how to translate some senses of the source language words and phrases into another language is called a Translation Glossary (TG). Such a device is especially useful when more than one person works on the same project because it helps keep everyone using the same English terms. See :ref:`Combined ULT-UST Translation Glossary`
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The ULT Contrasted with the UST
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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The ULT seeks to represent the language **forms** of the original in a way that also makes sense in English and other Gateway Languages. The UST (unfoldingWord® Simplified Text) seeks to represent the **plain meaning** of the original Bible text. This means that:
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* The ULT reflects better than the UST the grammatical structures of the biblical languages.
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* The ULT reflects better than the UST the parts of speech of the biblical languages. The ULT, for example, will seek to use nouns where the original uses nouns, adjectives where the original uses adjectives, and so forth.
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* The ULT will reproduce the form of the biblical language logical connections. Thus, for example, the ULT will read, *the righteousness of faith*, even though the logical relationship between *righteousness* and *faith* is not further specified. Is it the righteousness that comes by faith? Is it the righteousness that vindicates faith? All that *the righteousness of faith* explicitly signals is that there is some close association in the text between *righteousness* and *faith*, and that we can probably rule out **a number of** conceivable logical relationships between the two concepts, but not **all** possible relationships, as the foregoing example illustrates. In contrast, the UST will choose the one logical relationship that seems most likely.
|
||
* The ULT will reproduce the linear succession of ideas found in the original, even when English may prefer a different arrangement of the same ideas.
|
||
* The ULT will not present information that is only **implied** in the original. For example, in Matt. 26:5 it says, *For they were saying, “Not during the feast, so that a riot does not arise among the people.”* The part of the sentence, with the implied information included (in bold) would be, **“Let us** not **arrest Jesus** during the feast.” The ULT will not overtly represent this implied information, while the UST will include it.
|
||
* The ULT reflects as much as reasonably possible the written style of the original. It reads, for example, “Paul…to Timothy…” instead of English’s preferred, “Dear Timothy, [new paragraph] this is Paul.”
|
||
* The ULT will depart from closely representing the structures of the original only when it must do so to avoid violating the rules of English grammar, or to avoid giving the wrong meaning.
|
||
* The ULT is not meant to be a refined, polished English version. It is meant to present the structure of the original in a way that is as meaningful as possible, so that it can, in turn, be translated into other languages.
|
||
* Even when the ULT is ambiguous or not entirely clear (as is often true of the original), **the ULT must never promote to the MTT the wrong meaning**.
|
||
|
||
|
||
.. _gltranslation-transust:
|
||
|
||
|
||
Translating the UST
|
||
-------------------
|
||
|
||
.. note:: This module answers the question, "What are the guidelines for translating the UST?"
|
||
|
||
.. seealso:: :ref:`gltranslation-transult`, the Gateway Language Strategy at http://ufw.io/gl/.
|
||
|
||
Translation Theory for Translating the UST
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` is designed to be used in conjunction with the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` and the :abbr:`UTN (translationNotes)` as a tool for Bible translation. Unlike the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` and unlike an end-user Bible, the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` does not use figures of speech, idioms, abstract nouns, or grammatical forms that are difficult to translate into many languages. The purpose of the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` is to show the plain meaning of all of those things wherever they occur in the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`. Because the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` lacks these things, it is not a beautiful end-user Bible. An end-user Bible will use the figures of speech and idioms that speak naturally and beautifully in the target language, but the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` does not use them.
|
||
|
||
As the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator uses both the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` and the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` together as his translation source, he will be able to see the figures of speech, idioms, and other forms of the original Bible in the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` and also see what their meaning is in the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`. Then he can use the figures of speech or other forms from the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` that are clear and natural in his language. When the forms in the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` are not clear or natural in his language, then he can choose other forms in his language that have the same meaning as the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` translation or the Notes. When translating the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, please do not use idioms, figures of speech, or difficult grammatical forms in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` translation. The purpose of the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` is to change all of these problematic grammatical forms into more universal ones to make them easier to translate, and to make the meaning as clear as possible.
|
||
|
||
The primary goal of the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` is to express the meaning of the Bible as clearly as possible. In order to do this, it follows these guidelines.
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` must avoid:
|
||
|
||
1. Idioms
|
||
2. Figures of speech
|
||
3. Events out of order
|
||
4. Difficult or specialized grammar:
|
||
|
||
a. Complex sentences
|
||
b. Passive voice
|
||
c. Abstract or verbal nouns
|
||
d. People speaking of themselves in third person
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` must explicitly include:
|
||
|
||
1. Participants where these are unclear
|
||
2. Implied information that is necessary for understanding
|
||
|
||
When translating the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, please do not use in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` translation those things that the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` must avoid. The purpose of the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` is to change all those problematic forms into more universal ones to make them easier to translate. Also, be sure to include all the named participants and the information that has been made explicit so that the meaning can be as clear as possible.
|
||
|
||
What Method Should Be Used to Translate the UST?
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
When translating the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, keep the English source open in front of you. This means that you should not use any methodology that includes a step of blind drafting. The reason for this is that blind drafting is a method that translators use in order to produce natural target language translations. Through blind drafting, the translator replaces structures from the source language that would be unnatural in the target language with structures that are natural for that target language. But the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` is a tool that carefully avoids certain structures that can be difficult to translate in some languages, as explained above. If the translator is using blind drafting, he might accidentally replace the simple structures of the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` with structures that are natural in the target :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` but unwanted in the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, such as idioms and figures of speech from the target :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`. In order to guard against replacing these structures, it is best to translate the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` with the English source text open to look at.
|
||
|
||
Does Translation of the UST Require a Back Translation?
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
.. include:: /includes/glchurchcapacity.txt
|
||
|
||
.. include:: /includes/backtranslation.txt
|
||
|
||
Examples
|
||
^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
The following are examples of ways that the text of the Bible can be unclear for some languages and what the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` does to overcome those problems. When you translate the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, make sure that your translation of the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` also avoids these problems.
|
||
|
||
Passive Voice
|
||
"""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
Passive voice is a grammatical construction that is common in Greek and English but it is not used in many other languages, so it can be very confusing. For that reason, it is not used in the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`. In passive voice, the receiver of the action changes places with the actor. In English, the actor normally comes first in the sentence. But in passive voice, the receiver of the action comes first. Often, the actor is left unstated. In that case, the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` will fill in the actor. See "Missing Participants" below.
|
||
|
||
For example, the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of Romans 2:24 says, "... the name of God is dishonored among the Gentiles because of you."
|
||
|
||
The action is "dishonor," the actors are "the Gentiles" (non-Jews), and the receiver of the action is "the name of God." The reason for the action is "because of you."
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` rearranges the verse to put the actor and the receiver of the action in a more normal order. It says, "The non-Jews speak evil about God because of the evil actions of you Jews." This is clearer for many languages. When you translate the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, make sure that you do not use any passive voice constructions.
|
||
|
||
Abstract Nouns
|
||
""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of Romans 2:10 says, "But praise, honor, and peace will come to everyone who practices good..."
|
||
|
||
In this verse, the words "praise," "honor," "peace," and "good" are abstract nouns. That is, they are words that refer to things that we cannot see or touch. They are ideas. The ideas that these nouns express are closer to actions or descriptions than they are to things. In many languages, therefore, these ideas must be expressed by verbs or description words, not by nouns.
|
||
|
||
For this reason, the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` expresses these nouns as actions or descriptions. It says, "But God will praise, honor, and give a peaceful spirit to every person who habitually does good deeds."
|
||
|
||
When translating the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, avoid using abstract nouns. For more information on abstract nouns, see the :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` module `Abstract Nouns <https://door43.org/u/unfoldingWord/en_ta/master/03-translate.html#figs-abstractnouns>`_.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Long, Complex Sentences
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` avoids using long or complex sentences. In many languages, long or complex sentences are unnatural and unclear.
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` translates the first three verses of Romans as one complex sentence. It says,
|
||
|
||
:sup:`1`\ Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, :sup:`2`\ which he promised beforehand by his prophets in the holy scriptures, :sup:`3`\ concerning his Son, who was born from the descendants of David according to the flesh.
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` breaks that into five sentences that are more simple in form. It says,
|
||
|
||
:sup:`1`\ I, Paul, who serve Christ Jesus, am writing this letter to all of you believers in the city of Rome. God chose me to be an apostle, and he appointed me in order that I should proclaim the good news that comes from him. :sup:`2`\ Long before Jesus came to earth, God promised that he would reveal this good news by means of what his prophets wrote in the sacred scriptures. :sup:`3`\ This good news is about his Son. As to his Son's physical nature, he was born a descendant of King David.
|
||
|
||
When translating the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, keep the sentences short and simple.
|
||
|
||
Missing Participants
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` often fills in the participants when these are lacking in the original Bible and the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`. In the original biblical languages, these participants could be left out and still understood by the reader. But in many languages these must be included for the translation to be clear and natural.
|
||
|
||
In the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, Romans 1:1 says, "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God..."
|
||
|
||
In this verse, there is a participant that is left unstated, but still understood. This participant is God. It is God who called Paul to be an apostle and who set him apart for the gospel. In some languages, this participant must be stated.
|
||
|
||
Therefore the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` of Romans 1:1 says, "God chose me to be an apostle, and he appointed me in order that I should proclaim the good news that comes from him."
|
||
|
||
When translating the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, be sure to include all of the participants that are there in the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`.
|
||
|
||
Events out of Order
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of Luke 2:6-7 says,
|
||
|
||
:sup:`6`\ Now it came about that while they were there, the time came for her to deliver her baby. :sup:`7`\ She gave birth to a son, her firstborn child, and she wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth. Then she put him in an animal feeding trough, because there was no room for them in a guest room.
|
||
|
||
In some languages, events need to be told in the order in which they happened, or else the story will be confusing and hard to understand. People might understand from these verses that Mary delivered her baby outside in the street, and then looked for somewhere to stay and, after a long search, ended up putting him in an animal feeding trough.
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` tells these events in the order in which they happened, so that it is clear that Mary was already in the shelter for animals when she gave birth. It says,
|
||
|
||
:sup:`6-7`\ When they arrived in Bethlehem, there was no place for them to stay in a place where visitors usually stayed. So they had to stay in a place where animals slept overnight. While they were there the time came for Mary to give birth and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in wide strips of cloth and placed him in the feeding place for the animals.
|
||
|
||
Figures of Speech
|
||
"""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of Romans 2:21 says, "You who preach not to steal, do you steal?"
|
||
|
||
This is a figure of speech called a rhetorical question. It is not a real question that is used to seek an answer. It is used to make a point. In this case, Paul is using it to scold his audience and to condemn their hypocrisy. Many languages do not use rhetorical questions, or they do not use them in this way.
|
||
|
||
To show how to translate this meaning without a rhetorical question, the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` says, "You who preach that people should not steal things, it is disgusting that you yourself steal things!"
|
||
When you translate the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, be sure to not use rhetorical questions or other figures of speech. (For more examples of figures of speech, see the :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` module `Figures of Speech <https://door43.org/u/unfoldingWord/en_ta/master/03-translate.html#figs-intro>`_. and the modules linked there.)
|
||
|
||
Idioms
|
||
""""""
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of Deuteronomy 32:10 says, "he guarded him as the apple of his eye."
|
||
|
||
The word "apple" here does not refer to a kind of fruit, but instead refers to the pupil, the dark center of a person's eye. The phrase "the apple of his eye" is an idiom that refers to anything that is extremely precious to a person, or the one thing that is the most precious to a person. In many languages this idiom makes no sense, but they have other idioms that have this meaning. The :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator should use one of these idioms from the target language in the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translation, but there should be no idiom in the translation of the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`.
|
||
|
||
To show the meaning of this verse, the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` expresses this in plain language, without an idiom. It says, "He protected them and took care of them, as every person takes good care of his own eyes."
|
||
|
||
The Notes add another way to translate this that makes the meaning clear. It says, "He protected the people of Israel as something most valuable and precious." When you translate the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, be sure that you do not use any idioms. Only use plain language that makes the meaning clear. (For more information on idioms, see the :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` module `Idiom <https://door43.org/u/unfoldingWord/en_ta/master/03-translate.html#figs-idiom>`_.)
|
||
|
||
(For more examples of how the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` avoids difficult grammatical constructions, idioms, and figures of speech, see the section of examples in :ref:`gltranslation-transult`.)
|
||
|
||
People Speaking of Themselves in Third Person
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of Genesis 18:3 says:
|
||
|
||
He said, "My Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant."
|
||
|
||
Here Abraham refers to himself in the third person as "your servant." To make it clear that Abraham is referring to himself, the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` adds the first-person pronoun "me."
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` of Genesis 18:3 says:
|
||
|
||
He said to one of them, "My Lord, if you are pleased with me, then please stay here with me, your servant, for a little while."
|
||
|
||
When editing or translating the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, be sure to include the indications of the first person that are there in these passages of the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` so that it can be as clear as possible.
|
||
|
||
Implied Information
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of Mark 1:44 says:
|
||
|
||
He said to him, "Be sure to say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
|
||
|
||
This was all that Jesus needed to say to the man whom he had just healed of leprosy, because the man was Jewish and knew all about the laws concerning being clean and unclean. But most modern readers of our Bible translations do not know that information. For that reason, the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` makes this information explicit that was left implied in the text. This information is indicated in italics below.
|
||
|
||
The :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` of Mark 1:44 says:
|
||
|
||
He said, "Do not tell anyone what just happened. Instead, go to a priest and show yourself to him in order that he may examine you and see that you no longer have leprosy. Then make the offering that Moses commanded for people whom God has healed from leprosy. This will be the testimony to the community that you are healed."
|
||
|
||
When editing or translating the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, be sure to include all of the implied information that is there in the :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` so that it can be as clear as possible.
|
||
|
||
.. seealso:: :ref:`glchecking-checkingust`, :ref:`gltranslation-transult`
|
||
|
||
Specific Editing Guidelines for the UST
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
* Only use quotation marks at the beginning and ending of direct speech. Do not put quotation marks at the beginning of each verse, even though the speech may span several verses.
|
||
* Do not use contractions.
|
||
* Periods go inside the quote marks. The position of question marks and exclamation points depends on usage.
|
||
* Capitalization issues: in general, we are following the practice of the 2011 NIV.
|
||
* All pronouns are lower case (except when beginning sentences and except for the first singular "I").
|
||
* Capitalize titles (Son of Man, King David, the Messiah).
|
||
* Use vocabulary and phrases that differ from the ULT. The two translations fail to help the MTT when they are the same.
|
||
* Where possible, use common vocabulary that is easy to translate into another language.
|
||
* Spell out numbers up to and including ten (e.g., one, two…). For numbers larger than ten, use numerals (e.g., 11, 12…).
|
||
* Metaphors may be transformed into similies or substituted with the plain meaning of the metaphor. Similies may be the preferred option when the metaphor is extended over several clauses or verses.
|
||
|
||
Translation Glossary for the UST
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
A list of decisions as to how to translate some senses of the source language words and phrases into another language is called a Translation Glossary (TG). Such a device is especially useful when more than one person works on the same project because it helps keep everyone using the same English terms. See :ref:`Combined ULT-UST Translation Glossary`
|
||
|
||
.. _gltranslation-adaptult:
|
||
|
||
Adapting the ULT
|
||
----------------
|
||
|
||
.. note:: This module answers the question, "What are the guidelines for adapting an existing Bible translation to be the GLT?"
|
||
|
||
.. seealso:: :ref:`gltranslation-transult`, :ref:`gltranslation-transust`.
|
||
|
||
Using an existing translation as the GLT
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
Can I use an existing Bible translation as the Gateway Literal Text (GLT)?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
We do not recommend that you use an existing Bible translation as the GLT without adapting it to become a translation resource. A GLT is a translation resource that is intended to enable translators to see the structures of the original languages. Existing Bible translations are not intended to do this. Instead, they are intended to communicate God’s message in a natural way to speakers of the Gateway Language. The translation resources that you develop will enable translators to create Bibles in their own languages that do that. But an existing translation in your language is not the kind of resource that will make this possible.
|
||
|
||
If you attempt to use an existing Bible as a translation resource, you will find that you need to make excessive adjustments in the other translation resources in order for them to work together. For example, you will need to add hundreds of translation notes to explain the meaning of words that are not used anymore or that may have changed meaning over time. Such notes would be inconsistent with the current system of translation notes. They would not address a translation issue and so would not refer to any article of translationAcademy, as all translation notes currently do.
|
||
|
||
You would also need to add hundreds of translation notes to tell the translator about the many words and phrases that are not in the original but were added by the translators of your existing Bible in order to make it speak smoothly in the Gateway Language. If you do not alert the translator to these places, the GLT will not serve the function that the translator expects and requires of a GLT.
|
||
|
||
As an example, consider what would be required if we used the King James Version as a translation resource. Let us consider Matthew 17:25 as an example.
|
||
|
||
*And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon?* (Matt 17:25 KJV)
|
||
|
||
We would have to add notes to address several further issues just in this sentence. One note would have to explain the meaning of the strange construction “was come.” Another note would have to explain that the word that the KJV translates as “prevented” actually means “anticipated.” It does not mean that Jesus stopped Peter from doing what he wanted to do. (The word has changed in meaning since 1611, when the KJV was first published.) Other notes would have to explain the archaic words “thinkest” and “thou.” It would be necessary to address the issue of the KJV not using quotation marks. The ULT would not require any of those notes:
|
||
|
||
*And having entered into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon?”* (Matt 17:25 ULT)
|
||
|
||
The need to add so many more notes would create much more work for translators. It would also deprive translators of a resource that would show them the structure of the Greek text. Translators working with the ULT instead of the KJV would not need these notes, because the ULT was created from the beginning to be a resource for translators, not to be a Bible translation to use in church.
|
||
|
||
Here is a further example. These are the notes that would have to be added to one phrase in Romans 11:2:
|
||
|
||
*Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias?* (KJV)
|
||
|
||
*Wot ye not*
|
||
οὐκ οἴδατε
|
||
The word Wot is an archaic form of the word “know.” Alternate translation: “Do you not know”
|
||
|
||
*Wot ye not*
|
||
οὐκ οἴδατε
|
||
The word ye is an archaic form of the second person plural pronoun. Alternate translation: “Do you not know”
|
||
|
||
*saith*
|
||
λέγει
|
||
The word saith is an archaic form of the third person singular verb. Alternate translation: “says”
|
||
|
||
*Elias*
|
||
Ἠλείᾳ See Translation Academy, translate/translate-names.
|
||
The name Elias describes the same man who is known as “Elijah” in the Old Testament. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could use the same name for him in both testaments. Alternate translation: “Elijah”
|
||
|
||
The original ULT required three notes. Without adapting the sentence to be a translation resource, you would need to add the four notes above. You would need to add notes like this for most of the verses in the Bible. Rather than doing that, it would be much faster and easier to adapt the Bible translation to be a translation resource, or to translate the UST. The resulting resource set would also be easier for the translator to use.
|
||
|
||
For these reasons, we recommend that you either translate the ULT or adapt your existing Bible translation to become a translation resource. You would then call it something else, such as “The Literal Text (based on the KJV).” Then there would be no confusion between the resource that you were supplying to translators and the Bible version that people use in church.
|
||
|
||
Prerequisites for Adapting an Existing Translation to be the GLT
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
What is needed to adapt an existing translation to be the GLT?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
In order to adapt an existing translation and use it as the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` for a :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`, it is necessary that the existing translation be a literal translation. That is, it should follow the same order of clauses as the original biblical languages and reproduce the original biblical idioms and figures of speech. Most Bibles that were translated into :abbr:`GLs (Gateway Languages)` in the first half of the twentieth century or earlier are literal translations.
|
||
|
||
It is also necessary that the Bible that you adapt as the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` not be encumbered by copyright. That means that it must be in the public domain or have a license that permits us to reproduce and translate it. (For more information on copyrights and licensing, see the :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` module `Open License <https://door43.org/u/unfoldingWord/en_ta/master/01-intro.html#open-license>`_.)
|
||
|
||
If the Bible is very old, you will need to update the language and the style so that it uses words that people use now and "talks" in the way that people talk now. Even though the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` has a literal style, it must use words that people know so that they can understand it.
|
||
|
||
Methodology for Adapting an Existing Translation for the ULT
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
What are the steps for adapting an existing translation for the ULT?
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
Because adapting an existing translation is a process of editing rather than of translating, you should not try to follow any translation methodology. Especially do not follow any methodology that uses blind drafting. Instead, you should follow these steps:
|
||
|
||
#. Read the chapter in the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` and the Notes for that chapter. If you are beginning to translate a book, also read the overview of the book.
|
||
#. Read the chapter in the Bible that you are adapting as the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`.
|
||
#. Go through the chapter and change old words to words that people use now.
|
||
#. Using the list of :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)` for that chapter, check to make sure that a good translation for each of those words is used in the Gateway Language :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`.
|
||
#. If some sentences are put together in a strange way, check to see if they are also that way in the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`.
|
||
|
||
a. If the sentences are also put together in that same strange way in the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, it is because the original Bible has that structure. Leave them as they are. There will be a note that will explain that structure.
|
||
b. If the sentences are not put together in that same strange way in the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, then change the sentence so that it is clearer for modern readers, using the structure that is in the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`.
|
||
|
||
#. If you see that any verse or phrase in the Bible that you are adapting is very different than the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, then change it so that it is more like the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`.
|
||
#. If you see that any verse is missing in the Bible that you are adapting but it is there in the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, then translate that verse from the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`.
|
||
#. If you see that any verses are in a different order than in the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, change them to the order that they are in the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`.
|
||
#. After finishing the adaptation of a Bible book, now align it to the original biblical language. This will show you places where the adapted book is still not literal, so you will need to change those places so that they are more literal (more like the original languages). See :ref:`gl-alignment`.
|
||
|
||
After you do these things so that the text is ready to use as the GLT, you will need to translate the :abbr:`UTN (translationNotes)`. As you translate the :abbr:`UTN (translationNotes)`, you may see that there are parts of your adapted :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` that should be different so that the note can make sense. Also, you may see that some :abbr:`TN (translationNotes)` need to be changed so that they can refer to the right parts of the adapted GLT. In this way, you will need to make changes to both the GLT and the Gateway Language Notes as you adapt them to each other so that they make sense and are truly helpful for the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator. (For more information about this process, see :ref:`gltranslation-transtn`.)
|
||
|
||
Does Adapting a Translation of the ULT Require a Back Translation?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
**How does the church ensure the translation conforms to these guidelines?**
|
||
|
||
We expect that the translation that has been adapted as the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` already went through a series of checks to ensure that it accurately reflects the original meaning of the biblical text. This would have been done by the entity that originally translated and published the Bible translation. We also expect that the people adapting this translation for use as the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` in the Gateway Language will be well-educated and have good theological training. They will also be connected into church networks that will have adequate resources for checking the adapted translation.
|
||
|
||
.. include:: /includes/backtranslation.txt
|
||
|
||
.. _gltranslation-transtn:
|
||
|
||
Translating translationNotes
|
||
----------------------------
|
||
|
||
.. note:: This module answers the question, "What are the guidelines for translating or adapting the translationNotes?"
|
||
|
||
.. seealso:: In order to understand this topic, it would be good to read: :ref:`gltranslation-transult`, :ref:`gltranslation-adaptult`
|
||
|
||
Guidelines
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
:abbr:`TN (translationNotes)` offer alternative ways to translate a phrase from the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`. It is important that the phrase that you use to translate this kind of note be a direct substitute for the phrase that it replaces in the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`. In other words, the phrase has to have the same grammatical construction as the phrase in the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`. It needs to fit into the sentence in the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` just like the original phrase did.
|
||
|
||
In order to make sure that the phrase in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` note fits the sentence in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, you must be able to always look at both the English note and the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` as you translate. Translating the :abbr:`TN (translationNotes)` while having the source visible is the most efficient way to translate them and this will also reduce the number of errors in translation. (For more information on the types of :abbr:`TN (translationNotes)`, see the :abbr:`TA (translationAcademy)` module `Using the translationNotes <https://door43.org/u/unfoldingWord/en_ta/master/03-translate.html#resources-types>`_.)
|
||
|
||
.. include:: /includes/entirebiblefirst.txt
|
||
|
||
When I Am Translating the Notes, Do I Need the ULT and UST Available and Translated?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
Yes. When you translate the Translation Notes for a book of the Bible, you must also have both the GLT and the GST in front of you, in final form, if possible, and fully aligned. You must have the GLT available so that you can copy the part of the GLT text that the note is talking about directly into the note. You must also have the GST text available because the Notes often refer to it. In that case, you need to be able to see what the GST says in order to translate the note in the best way. Also, you need to see what the GST says so that you can make the Alternate Translation (AT) in the note different from the reading in the GST. The AT should offer a third alternative beyond the GLT and the GST.
|
||
|
||
In addition, the Translation Notes directly comment on parts of the GLT text, so you must read the part of the GLT text that the note comments on in order to properly translate the note. After you read and understand the GLT text, then you can translate the note so that it makes sense together with the GLT text that it refers to.
|
||
|
||
It is also helpful to have the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` and English :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)` available as you translate the English :abbr:`TN (translationNotes)` in case its relationship to the GLT and GST is not clear. This can help you to see what the note is talking about and to judge whether or not the note is relevant to the Gateway Language or if it needs to be modified.
|
||
|
||
When I Am Translating the Notes, Should I Translate the Snippet?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
No. The words in bold text are the part of the note that is a direct quote from the Gateway Language Literal Text (GLT). That part is quoted from the GLT so that the Note can talk about it. When you translate the Translation Notes, make sure that you always copy that part directly from the GLT. For example, the following is the text of Ezra 7:19 from the ULT, with the part that the note is about in italics (the snippet), and the note.
|
||
|
||
Ezra 7:19 (ULT) And the vessels that were given to you *for the service of the house of your God*, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem.
|
||
|
||
>The idea behind the abstract noun **service** can be expressed with a verb such as “use.” Alternate translation: “to use in the temple of your God”
|
||
|
||
The word **service** is a direct quote from the ULT so that the note can talk about it. You must copy that part from the GLT - Do not translate that part of the note from English. It is important that that part be exactly the same as in the GLT. If you are using tC Create, you can easily see the word or words that you need to copy because they will be part of the snippet, that is, the text that is highlighted in yellow in the Scripture pane. In order to see this highlighting, the GLT and GST must be aligned already to the original language.
|
||
|
||
The last sentence in the note above is an Alternate Translation (AT). It is an alternative way to express the same meaning as the snippet and must fit into the verse in the same way as the snippet does. In other words, the phrase in the AT must be a direct substitute for the phrase that it replaces in the GLT. This means that the AT has to perform the same grammatical function as the snippet from the GLT. It needs to fit into the sentence in the GLT just like the original phrase did. For this reason, it may be necessary to expand the snippet in order to accommodate the different grammatical form of the AT.
|
||
|
||
In order to make sure that the phrase in the GL note fits the sentence in the GLT, you must be able to always look at both the English note and the GLT as you translate.
|
||
|
||
|
||
May I Use Blind Drafting?
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
No. Do not use any method that includes blind drafting to translate the Notes. Always translate the Notes with the GLT and GST in front of you, and the English Notes also visible. Always translate the Notes with the GLT and GST in front of you and the English Notes also visible. Translating the Notes while having the source visible is the most efficient way to translate them and this will also reduce the number of errors in translation. (For more information on the types of notes, see the TA module Using the translationNotes.)
|
||
|
||
How Does the Church Ensure the Translation Conforms to These Guidelines?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
.. include:: /includes/glchurchcapacity.txt
|
||
|
||
Becuase the Notes talk about grammar and figures of speech, it is highly recommended that the people translating them into the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` have training in linguistics as well as in biblical studies. They will need to know how to adapt the Notes for the grammar of the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Adapting the TranslationNotes
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
May I Change a Note So That It Makes Sense in My Language?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
Often, the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` in the target :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` will say things in a different way than the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` said them in English. In order for the note to be useful in the target :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`, you will need to adapt the note so that it talks about the text as it is in the GLT. This means that you will need to sometimes change the note so that it makes sense and is helpful for the translators who will use these Notes as resources to translate the Bible into Other Languages (OLs).
|
||
|
||
|
||
May I Delete a Note that Does Not Apply to My Language?
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
Because languages can be very different from each other, sometimes there will be notes that are important and necessary for some languages, but that are not needed for other languages. If there is a note that does not make sense when applied to the GLT text, then you as the translator will need to modify the note so that it does make sense in relation to the text in your target :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`.
|
||
|
||
If the note does not apply at all to the text of the GLT, then you may delete that note from your translation of the :abbr:`TN (translationNotes)`. But be sure to think about it very carefully before you delete a translation note to be sure that it is not necessary for the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator who will be using the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` translation to translate the Bible into his language, which may work differently than the Gateway Language.
|
||
|
||
|
||
May I Add a Note that Would Help with Translation in my Language?
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
For the same reason, sometimes you will realize that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator will need a note in order to understand a phrase in the target GLT, but there might not be a note already written for that phrase because it was not necessary for the English :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`. In that case, you will need to write a new note and include it in your translation. Usually, these Translation Notes will be to explain a phrase or way of saying something that is normal in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` but that is not normal in the :abbr:`OLs (Other Languages)` that you know of. When writing your translationNote, follow the same style and format of the existing Translation Notes.
|
||
|
||
Remember that speakers of many different languages will be using these :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` Translation Notes to help them translate the Bible. There will be many things that you will understand about the Bible in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator may not understand. For that reason, if you think that there is something difficult to understand in the GLT, write a note that can help the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator to understand it. There will probably be many :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translators who will benefit from reading the translation note and who will make a better translation because of it.
|
||
|
||
Because the Translation Notes need to be adapted in these ways and not simply translated, it is best if the people adapting the Notes be people who are well educated in both linguistics and biblical studies so that they can understand the various problems that the Notes explain.
|
||
|
||
.. seealso:: :ref:`glchecking-checkingtn`, :ref:`gltranslation-transtw`, :ref:`gltranslation-transtq`
|
||
|
||
.. _gltranslation-transtw:
|
||
|
||
Translating translationWords
|
||
----------------------------
|
||
|
||
.. note:: This module answers the question, "What are the guidelines for translating translationWords?"
|
||
|
||
.. seealso:: :ref:`gltranslation-transult`, :ref:`gltranslation-adaptult`, :ref:`gltranslation-transtn`
|
||
|
||
Guidelines
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
It is important that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translators understand all of the words that they are translating. But some of the words in the Bible are not used in everyday life in our time or in our cultures, and so the translator may not be familiar with them. Other words are used in everyday life, but they are used in a different way in the Bible. Some of these words have very important or special meanings in the Bible. They tell us a lot about God and his relationship with us.
|
||
|
||
In order for the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator to completely understand these words, we have provided the definitions in :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)`. When you translate this list into the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`, it will help all of the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translators who will use it to translate the Bible for their people with good understanding.
|
||
|
||
.. include:: /includes/entirebiblefirst.txt
|
||
|
||
What Is the "Definition" Section of translationWords?
|
||
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
:abbr:`TW (translationWords)` entries have several parts; the first part is "Definition." This gives the meaning of the word as it is used in the Bible. Please do not use definitions from a modern :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` dictionary, because the way words are used in the Bible can be different from the way they are used in modern, everyday life. We want to make sure that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator understands the way that the word is used in the Bible.
|
||
|
||
It is possible that the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` might express the idea of the English :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)` by using different words for that idea in different contexts. That is, the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` may use different words when the idea is talked about in different ways. Each of these :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` words for the :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)` word may have a part of the meaning of the English word.
|
||
|
||
In this case, you will need to list each of those words at the top, separated by commas. Several of the English :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)` entries already have multiple words at the top like this, such as "prophet, prophecy, prophesy, seer, prophetess" (see the `Prophet UTW article <https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_tw/src/branch/master/bible/kt/prophet.md>`_). Then, in the "Definition" part, you will need to list those words in separate paragraphs with a definition for each one. The :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator can then choose the word that he needs to understand from that list and translate it correctly in the passage that he is translating.
|
||
|
||
What is the "Translation Suggestions" Section of translationWords?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
The second part of a :abbr:`TW (translationWords)` entry is "Translation Suggestions" or "Translation Strategies." This section gives different ideas for how the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator can translate the word. This section gives more than one way to translate the word because it can mean slightly different things in different contexts. Be sure that you understand the differences of meaning between the different contexts in which the word is used so that you can translate them correctly.
|
||
|
||
In the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`, some of the :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)` are not used in all of the same contexts as the English :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)` are. **In that case, you will need to adjust your translation of this section**. If one of the Translation Suggestions does not work in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`, then do not translate that Translation Suggestion. Instead, write a Translation Suggestion that shows how that word is used in the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)`. Think about the different ways that the word is used in the Bible, and try to make sure that there is a Translation Suggestion for each of the primary uses. We want the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translator to see and consider the differences and the similarity in meaning between the uses of the word so that he can choose the best word in his language to express those meanings.
|
||
|
||
As you translate the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` and :abbr:`UST (unfoldingWord Simplified Text)`, you may find that you need to add a meaning to a word in the :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)` entry, or you may need to add another word to the entry because the :abbr:`GL (Gateway Language)` uses more than one word for the idea of that important :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)`. Go ahead and do this as you find more words or meanings for the words.
|
||
|
||
Under the "Translation Suggestions" or "Translation Strategies" section is a line that says, "(See also...)." You only need to translate the words "See also," and you only need to translate this one time, not for every :abbr:`UTW (translationWords)`. The rest of the line will be created automatically if the translation is done in translationStudio Desktop.
|
||
|
||
Do I Translate the "Bible References" and "Examples for the Bible Stories" Sections of translationWords?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
The third and fourth parts are “Bible References” and “Examples from the Bible Stories.” You only need to translate these words of the titles, and you only need to translate them one time, not for every TW. You do not need to translate the rest of these parts. They will be created automatically if the translation is done in translationStudio Desktop.
|
||
|
||
.. seealso:: :ref:`gltranslation-transtn`, :ref:`gltranslation-transtq`
|
||
|
||
.. _gltranslation-transtq:
|
||
|
||
Translating translationQuestions
|
||
--------------------------------
|
||
|
||
.. note:: This module answers the question, "What are the guidelines for translating translationQuestions?"
|
||
|
||
.. seealso:: :ref:`gltranslation-transult`, :ref:`gltranslation-adaptult`, :ref:`gltranslation-transtw`, :ref:`gltranslation-transtn`
|
||
|
||
Guidelines
|
||
^^^^^^^^^^
|
||
|
||
We want all translations of the Bible to communicate clearly the message that God wants them to communicate. One tool that we are providing so that the :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translators can make sure that their translations are communicating correctly is translationQuestions (:abbr:`UTQ (translationQuestions)`). The :abbr:`OL (Other Language)` translators will use :abbr:`UTQ (translationQuestions)` to conduct community checks of each chapter of the Bible that they translate.
|
||
|
||
.. include:: /includes/entirebiblefirst.txt
|
||
|
||
What Is the Recommended Method for Translating UTQ?
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
#. Read the chapter of the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` that the questions are about, so that you understand it.
|
||
#. Translate only the question part of each question-answer pair. Draft all of the questions for one chapter.
|
||
#. In the self-edit stage of checking, edit each Question to correct any mistakes or to add things that you left out.
|
||
#. Instead of translating the answer to each question, copy the answer from the words of the GLT of that verse that match the answer to that question in the English source. In this way, the words of each answer will always match the words of the GLT.
|
||
|
||
If the ULT Has Not Been Translated
|
||
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
|
||
|
||
In order to translate the questions for a book of the Bible, the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)` of that book must be translated already. The purpose of the questions is to check the translation of the :abbr:`ULT (unfoldingWord Literal Text)`, so it serves no purpose to translate the questions first.
|
||
|
||
.. seealso:: :ref:`gltranslation-transtn`, :ref:`gltranslation-transtq`, :ref:`glchecking-checkingtn`, :ref:`glchecking-checkingult`
|
||
|
||
.. _gltranslation-transta:
|