Deleted this link because we archived the page. We don't do Version numbers
* **[Source Texts and Version Numbers](../translate-source-version/01.md)** - Is the text the latest, most updated version?
Issue 186 Moved ”The Importance of Form” and ”Levels of Meaning” into a folder called ”More about Form and Meaning” and it put this folder after ”Meaning-Based Translations”
Issue 186 Moved ”The Importance of Form” and ”Levels of Meaning” into a folder called ”More about Form and Meaning” and it put this folder after ”Meaning-Based Translations”
Issue 186 Moved "Form and Meaning" to after "Literal Translations" and "Meaning-based Translations", because goes into the issues more deeply. Changed name to "More about Form and Meaning"
Updated explanation of GL and OL to fit with what is on "Terms to Know"
(My old explanation implied that all target languages are OLs, but that's not right. The OLs are just the target langs that will have only the Bible and Biblical content -- not the translation resources.))
Issue 188 - Add The Unlocked Bibles to introduce ULB and UDB
Issue 189 - translate-formatsignals - named "A few Punctuation Marks in the Bible" and moved to Decisions.
Issue 189: Reordered. Main sections are Introduction, Defining a Good Translation, Before Translating, About the Bible, Types of Translation, Translation Resources, Decisions for Writing Your Language, Presentation of Translation, File Formats
Issue 189: Reordered. Main sections are Introduction, Defining a Good Translation, Before Translating, About the Bible, Types of Translation, Translation Resources, Decisions for Writing Your Language, Presentation of Translation, File Formats
Issue 189: Reordered. Main sections are Introduction, Defining a Good Translation, Before Translating, About the Bible, Types of Translation, Translation Resources, Decisions for Writing Your Language, Presentation of Translation, File Formats
Issue 189: Reordered. Main sections are Introduction, Defining a Good Translation, Before Translating, About the Bible, Types of Translation, Translation Resources, Decisions for Writing Your Language, Presentation of Translation, File Formats
Issue 189: Reordered. Main sections are Introduction, Defining a Good Translation, Before Translating, About the Bible, Types of Translation, Translation Resources, Decisions for Writing Your Language, Presentation of Translation, File Formats
Issue 189: Reordered. Main sections are Introduction, Defining a Good Translation, Before Translating, About the Bible, Types of Translation, Translation Resources, Decisions for Writing Your Language, Presentation of Translation, File Formats
Issue 189: Reordered. Main sections are Introduction, Defining a Good Translation, Before Translating, About the Bible, Types of Translation, Translation Resources, Decisions for Writing Your Language, Presentation of Translation, File Formats
Issue 189: Reordered. Main sections are Introduction, Defining a Good Translation, Before Translating, About the Bible, Types of Translation, Translation Resources, Decisions for Writing Your Language, Presentation of Translation, File Formats
Issue 189 Made this the order of the main sections: Intro, Defining a Good Translation, Before Translating, About the Bible, Types of Translation, The Translation Process, Translation Resources, Decisions for Writing your Language, Presentation of Translation, File Formats.
Issue 143
It talked about reaching or achieving checking levels. I changed it to be about using certain level checks to reach/achieve certain affirmation levels.
Deleted en_ta/translate files: choose-team, file-formats, level1, first-draft, translate/guidelines, mast, qualifications, resources, translate/translate, writing-decisions.
Moved biblicalimagery and bita to the top of the page.
Deleted because the content of en_ta/archive/checking/intro-check/01.md was put at the beginning of en_ta/checking/authentic-assessment/01.md
- title: "Authentic Assessment in Checking Scripture"
link: intro-check
Deleted the title "How to Start Translating." It was just a title (with no md files) and I had moved the "Help with Translating" to another part of the toc.
Issue 116 Finding Answers - Translation Manual sections. Deleted the info telling about what's in the Translation Manual because it is a duplicate of intro/ta-intro/01.md.
Put in info about BIEL.
Trying Links. These links work in DCS.
Now I'll change them to the format used in the rest of tA, so that eventually, they will work in the Interleaved pdfs.
In Strategies Applied for "Connecting Words,"
I put 4 spaces before each ULB,
6 spaces before each explanation in italics,
6 spaces before each strategy applied.
I want to see how it shows up in the Interleaved pdfs.
Changed links to Dead Metaphor and Metaphor parts so that they link to the folder rather than to the main page.
There are no links in tN to these two tA pages. Check the Matt pdf to see if they link. now that these are full links. If not, then it could be that the only way tA pages get into the pdf is if there is link for them in tN.
Deleted links to tW pages for "dreams" and "visions." The translators using this page won't need them. (Although they could be helpful for gateway language translators who will be translating this page.)
I deleted this from the Description section.
Here are two examples of elliptical sentences whose missing words are understood by convention. English speakers normally use the shorter forms.
* "Fire when ready" means "Fire when <u>you are</u> ready."
* "Back to the drawing board" means "<u>We need to go</u> back to the drawing board."
Here are three examples of elliptical sentences whose missing words were already used in a previous phrase.
* "I drank water, and Bob milk" means "I drank water, and Bob <u>drank</u> milk.
* "I drank water, not milk" means "I drank water; <u>I did</u> not <u>drink</u> milk.
* "I drank water, and Tom did, too" means "I drank water, and Tom <u>drank water</u>, too."
I had this information (worded differently) explaining each of the Examples of Translation Strategies Applied, but thought it may have been too cluttered. Maybe it's adequate without them.
* Starting a sentence with someone's name when he has not been introduced yet might be confusing in some languages.
* When pronouns occur in the first sentence of a chapter, readers might wonder whom they refer to.
* In some languages after the author identifies the main person in a story, he will often refer to that person with simply a pronoun.
Exchanged the rhyming translation below with an adaptation of Psalm 1:1-2 from the Scottish Psalter of 1650, which is in the public domain.
* Happy is the person not encouraged <u>to sin</u><br/>
Disrespect for God he will not <u>begin</u>.<br/>
To those who laugh at God, he is <u>no kin</u><br/>
God is his constant <u>delight</u>.<br/>
He does what God says <u>is right</u>.<br/>
He thinks of it all day <u>and night</u>.
Deleted some examples.
><u>Then</u> Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. (Matthew 3:13 ULB)
The word "then" shows that Jesus came to the Jordan River some time after the events in the previous verses.
Deleted these definitions at the beginning:
* **Assumed knowledge** is whatever a speaker assumes his audience knows before he speaks and gives them some kind of information. The speaker gives the audience information in two ways:
* **Explicit information** is what the speaker states directly.
* **Implicit information** is what the speaker does not state directly because he expects his audience to be able to learn it from what he says.
Deleted example because it does not fit definition of being in one clause.
><u>Unless</u> these men stay in the ship, you <u>cannot</u> be saved. (Acts 27:31 ULB)
Paul was telling them that they could be saved only if the men who were trying to leave the ship stayed in the ship.
Many of the Translation Topics have links to other parts of the Translation Manual. However only the topics that are addressed in either the Translation Notes or the Translation Words in this Translation Helps volume are included in this volume. Because of that, some of the links to other parts of the Translation Manual do not work. If you want to read those other parts of the Translation Manual, you can see them on Bible in Every Language at (https://door43.org/u/WycliffeAssociates/en_ta/). The links that do not work are black, and those that work are some other color.
## How to use the Translation Topics
You can find topics in the Table of Contents at the beginning of this Translation Helps manual, or you can click on the links to topics in the Translation Notes or Translation Words.
Many of the topics have the following format.
* Description - Use this to learn about the topic.
* Reasons This is a Translation Issue - Use this to understand the translation issue.
* Examples from the Bible - Use this to understand the topic better.
* Translation Strategies - Use this to get ideas for how to translate a passage if the way it is communicated in the Unlocked Literal Bible would not be helpful in your language.
* Examples of Translation Strategies Applied - Use this to see ways each of the strategies might be applied to a passage in the Bible. The bold text is the ULB and the text below it is an exmple of the strategy applied. Sometimes there is also some explanation with an example.
A box next to the description tells what question the page answers. It may also have links to other pages to read in order to understand the topic better. These links will not work if their pages are not also in this Translation Helps manual.
## Contributors to the Translation Topics
- Christine Jarka, MSEd in Instructional Design
- Henry Whitney, BA in Education
- James N. Pohlig, M.Div., MA in Linguistics, D. Litt. in Biblical Languages
The Translation Manual is an open licensed manual on Bible translation. It teaches the basics of translation theory and a process for doing Bible translation, it provides practical helps for dealing with various translation issues, and it provides instruction and processes for checking translations.
The Translation Manual is intended to empower anyone, anywhere to equip themselves for creating high-quality translations of biblical content into their own language. The manual is designed to be highly flexible. It can be used in a systematic, in-advance approach or it can be used for just-in-time learning (or both, as needed). It is modular in structure.
The Translation Manual is written primarily for mother-tongue Bible translators who have had little or no prior training in translation. The English version of the manual is primarily for people who speak English as a second language. Because of this we have tried to keep the writing style easy to understand.
**You can learn more about the Translation Manual** in the Appendix to the Translation Manual, rc://en_tm/00-tM_front&back/tM-3-Appendix.md. It has the following sections:
* Decisions Concerning the Translation Manual
* How to use the Translation Manual
* Contributors to the Translation Manual (Fuller list)
## Viewing
To read or print the complete Translation Manual, see "Wycliffe Associates Translation Manual" on the "Translations" page of [Bible in Every Language](https://bibleineverylanguage.org/translations/) (https://bibleineverylanguage.org/translations/).
The Translation Manual is also integrated into BTT Writer and VMAST so that translators can have immediate access to it while translating. BTT Writer and VMAST are available on the Tools page of [Bible in Every Language](https://bibleineverylanguage.org/tools/) (https://bibleineverylanguage.org/tools/).
## Questions, comments, and suggestions
We welcome questions, comments, and suggestions. You may send them to helpdesk@techadvancement.com or training_wa@wycliffeassociates.org.
## Contributors to the Translation Manual
- Christine Jarka, MSEd in Instructional Design
- Henry Whitney, BA in Education
- James N. Pohlig, M.Div., MA in Linguistics, D. Litt. in Biblical Languages
- Perry Oakes, PhD in Old Testament, MA in Linguistics
The Translation Manual is written primarily for mother-tongue Bible translators who have had little or no prior training in translation. The English version of the manual is primarily for people who speak English as a second language. Because of this we have tried to keep the writing style easy to understand.
## How to use the Translation Manual
The Translation Manual is intended to empower anyone, anywhere to equip themselves for creating high-quality translations of biblical content into their own language. The manual is designed to be highly flexible. It can be used in a systematic, in-advance approach, or it can be used for just-in-time learning (or both, as needed). It is modular in structure.
A systematic, in-advance approach might involve reading sequentially through the sections of the manual: the Introduction, Translation Theory and Practice, Translation Topics, and Checking. A just-in-time learning approach might involve reading particular Translation Topics when directed to them by particular Translation Notes.
The Translation Topics section of the Translation Manual deals with grammar, figures of speech, writing styles, translating unknown ideas, and issues specific to Bible translation. Some of the pages describe a topic, tell why it is a translation issue, explain some examples from the Bible, and present translation strategies with examples of how the strategies might be applied. When translating a particular passage, translators will need to decide if any of the strategies would be appropriate for them to use. The examples of how strategies might be applied are meant to help translators learn how to apply the strategies. Translators are not expected to use any particular strategy.
"Translation Topics" is a part of the the Wycliffe Associates Translation Manual. It deals with translation issues that arise because of grammar, discourse, figures of speech, and ideas that maybe unknown to speakers of the target language. It also deals with issues that are particularly relevant to Bible translation. Many of the topics include examples from the Bible, strategies for dealing with the issues, and examples of how those strategies might be applied.
The topics that are included in this set of Translation Resources are ones that are addressed in either the Translation Notes or the Translation Words for this book of the Bible.
**You can learn more about the Translation Manual** in the Appendix to the Translation Manual, rc://en_tm/00-tM_front&back/tM-3-Appendix.md. It has the following sections:
* Decisions Concerning the Translation Manual
* How to use the Translation Manual
* Contributors to the Translation Manual (Fuller list)
## Viewing
To read or print the complete Translation Manual, see "Wycliffe Associates Translation Manual" on the "Translations" page of [Bible in Every Language](https://bibleineverylanguage.org/translations/) (https://bibleineverylanguage.org/translations/).
The Translation Manual is also integrated into BTT Writer and VMAST so that translators can have immediate access to it while translating. BTT Writer and VMAST are available on the Tools page of [Bible in Every Language](https://bibleineverylanguage.org/tools/) (https://bibleineverylanguage.org/tools/).
## Questions, comments, and suggestions
We welcome questions, comments, and suggestions. You may send them to helpdesk@techadvancement.com or training_wa@wycliffeassociates.org.
## Contributors to the Translation Topics
- Christine Jarka, MSEd in Instructional Design
- Henry Whitney, BA in Education
- James N. Pohlig, M.Div., MA in Linguistics, D. Litt. in Biblical Languages
- Perry Oakes, PhD in Old Testament, MA in Linguistics
## Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
This is a human-readable summary of (and not a substitute for) the [license](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).
@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license term
### Under the following conditions:
* **Attribution** — You must attribute the work as follows: "Original work available at https://unfoldingword.bible/academy/." Attribution statements in derivative works should not in any way suggest that we endorse you or your use of this work.
* **Attribution** — You must attribute the work as follows: "Original work available at https://door43.org/." Attribution statements in derivative works should not in any way suggest that we endorse you or your use of this work.
* **ShareAlike** — If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
**No additional restrictions** — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
@ -25,3 +24,4 @@ The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license term
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation.
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
unfoldingWord translationAcademy is a modular handbook that provides a condensed explanation of Bible translation and checking principles that the global Church has implicitly affirmed define trustworthy translations. It enables translators to learn how to create trustworthy translations of the Bible in their own language.
Translation Manual is intended to enable anyone, anywhere to equip themselves so that they will be able to make high-quality translations of biblical content into their own language. Translation Manual is designed to be highly flexible. It can be used in a systematic, in-advance approach or it can be used for just-in-time learning (or both, as needed). It is modular in structure.
## Downloading
Translation Manual was developed by the [Door43 World Missions Community](https://door43.org) in conjunction with [Wycliffe Associates](http://www.wycliffeassociates.org/). The entire project is made
available under a [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License](http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), see the [LICENSE](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en_ta/src/master/LICENSE.md) file for more information.
If you want to download English translationAcademy to use, go here: [https://unfoldingword.bible/academy/](https://unfoldingword.bible/academy/). tA is also included in [tS](http://ufw.io/ts) and [tC](http://ufw.io/tc).
Please use the [issue queue](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en_ta/issues) to provide feedback or suggestions for improvement.
## Improving tA
## Resources
Please use the [issue queue](https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/issues) to provide feedback or suggestions for improvement.
If you want to download English Translation Manual to use, go here: https://unfoldingword.org/academy/. It is also included in [tS](http://ufw.io/ts) and [tC](http://ufw.io/tc).
If you want to make your suggested changes then you may use the online editor to do so. See the [protected branch workflow](https://forum.ccbt.bible/t/protected-branch-workflow/76) document for step by step instructions.
## Contributing or Translating
## Structure
### Contributions are always welcomed.
The Translation Manual is a collaborative work between several organzations. We seek those that would like to contribute to the work. Presently there is an Oversight Team that is responsible for the maintenance of the content. The members of this team represent various organizations and are experienced Biblical Scholars, Linguists and Bible Translators.
All contributions will be reviewed by the Oversight Team.
The tA are written in a simple Markdown format and organized according to the [Resource Container Manual](https://resource-container.readthedocs.io/en/latest/container_types.html#manual-man) type. See that link for more information but here is a quick summary.
#### Submit an Issue
Submitting an issue is the preferred way to let the Oversight Team know of errors in the content. When you find an error, please note where the error is, if possible copy the error, open an [Issue](https://git.door43.org/Door43/en_ta/issues), paste in the error, then offer a correction, and then submit the Issue.
Each manual has it's own directory in this repository (for example, the Checking Manual is in the [checking](https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/checking) directory). Each module has its own directory inside of these manual directories. Inside each of these are three files:
#### Pull Request
To contribute to the content of the Translation Manual please fork a copy of the repository, make your changes and then submit a Pull Request to the repository.
The Oversight Team will then review the pull request and then decide on the merging of the content into the master repository.
* `01.md` - This is the main body of the module
* `sub-title.md` - This file contians the question that the module is intended to answer.
* `title.md` - This contains the title of the module
### Explanation of the content file layout
There are also YAML formatted files in each manual's directory. The `toc.yaml` file is for encoding the Table of Contents and the `config.yaml` file is for encoding dependencies between the modules.
Each manual has it's own directory in this repository (for example, the Checking Manual is in the checking directory). The content of the files are in a hybrid YAML/markdown format, beginning with a YAML header followed by the body of the article in markdown.
## GL Translators
YAML is a markup language that is compact and easy to read. The YAML header bounded on the top and bottom by `---`. Each line within the header is a key-value pair, with the key and the value separated by a colon. Because the key is used by the publishing process, __it should never be translated or changed.__ Some of the values can be translated, and those are enumerated below in the instructions for translating.
### tA Translation Philosophy
Following the YAML header is the body of the article, which uses a format called "markdown." If you aren't familiar with markdown, you may find this [markdown tutorial](http://www.markdowntutorial.com/) helpful. Also, this README file, the one you are reading now, is written in markdown.
To learn the philosophy of how to translate the tA please see the [Translate translationAcademy](http://gl-manual.readthedocs.io/en/latest/gl_translation.html#translating-translationacademy) article in the [Gateway Language Manual](http://gl-manual.readthedocs.io/).
### Before you get started translating
If you are translating online, please fork the [Door43-Catalog/en_ta](https://git.door43.org/Door43-Catalog/en_ta) repository, following this workflow: [Translate Content Online](https://forum.ccbt.bible/t/translate-content-online/75).
* DO NOT RENAME ANY FILES. The name of the file is the same as the slug and is used to link the file to other files.
### Technical Information for Translating tA
* If you do any translation work, be sure to put your name in the `manifest.yaml` file.
* Left click on the file found in the root of the repository.
* Click on the pencil icon to edit the file.
* You will add the name(s) under the 'contributor' list heading (see line 5 and under)
* Click on the end of line 7 (after 'Wycliffe Associates') and then press the enter key to start a new line.
* Type in a dash then space then the name of a contributor between single quote marks.
* Type in additional names as necessary.
* Click on the green "Commit Changes" button at the bottom of the page to save the changes.
* *Do not* rename any files or directories. Only translate what is inside the files.
* The `config.yaml` and `toc.yaml` files do not need to be changed unless you add a new module. When you are finished translating, you may want to update the `title` fields in the `toc.yaml` file, but you shouldn't make any other changes in those files.
* Images that are included in tA should be no more than 600px wide. Leave the image links alone to use the original images.
* Hyperlinks (links to other articles or to other pages on the internet) follow this pattern: `[text to display](http://www.example.com)`. You can translate the "text to display" inside the square brackets but not the web address that follows inside the parentheses.
* The `LICENSE.md` file does not need to be translated or modified.
* The `README.md` does not need to be translated or modified.
You are free to add additional modules. In order for the new modules to be included when tA is published, all of the following conditions need to be satisfied:
### Images
* You must create a directory in one of the manual directories (like the translate directory) that has the short name of the module you want to write. For example, to create a new module on "testing" in the Translation Manual, you will want to put the file in "translate/testing/01.md".
* The file must be included in the table of contents, `toc.yaml` for the appropriate manual.
* The value of the slug in the `toc.yaml` file and the directory (without the extension) must be the same as the directory name (`testing` in this example).
* The slug must be unique, and not used in any of the other tA repositories. This is a requirement so that it is possible to create unambiguous links to articles in other tA manuals.
Images that are included in tA should be no more than 600px wide.
## License
### Instructions for translating Translation Manual
__The instructions for translating `meta.yaml` (metadata) and `toc.yaml` (table of contents) are included in the header of those files.__
The first step is to __fork this repository.__ When you do this, change the name of the repository to start with your language code rather than
`en`.
When translating the files for each manual:
* In the YAML header, you are free to translate the values following the `title`, `question` and `credits` keys. __DO NOT TRANSLATE THE KEYS__.
None of the other values should be translated. They contain slugs that are used to identify this article and to link it to other articles.
* Translating hyperlinks: Hyperlinks (links to other articles or to other pages on the internet) follow this pattern,
```
[text to display](http://www.example.com)
```
You can translate the "text to display" inside the square brackets but not the web address that follows inside the parentheses.
You are free to add additional pages. In order for the new page to be included when tA is published, all of the following conditions need to be satisfied:
1. You must create a directory in one of the manual directories (like the translate directory) that has the short name of the module you want to write. For example, to create a new module on "testing" in the Translation Manual, you will want to put the file in "translate/testing/01.md".
1. The file must be included in the table of contents, `toc.yaml` for the appropriate manual.
1. The value of the slug in the YAML header and the file name (without the extension) must be the same as the directory name.
1. The slug must be unique, and not used in any of the other tA repositories. This is a requirement so that it is possible to create unambiguous links to articles in other tA manuals.
## Historical
If you would like to see the deprecated tranlsationAcademy pages in DokuWiki, go to https://dw.door43.org/en/ta. You can still see the workbench pages at https://dw.door43.org/en/ta/workbench.
See the [LICENSE](https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/LICENSE.md) file for licensing information.
As you read the new translation, ask yourself these questions. These are questions that will help determine whether or not the translation has been done in a style that is acceptable to the language community:
1. Is the translation written in a way that can be understood easily by both young and old members of the language community? (Whenever someone speaks, they can change their choice of words for either a younger or an older audience. Is this translation done using words that communicate well to both young and old people?
1. Is the style of this translation more formal or informal? (Is the manner of speaking the way that the local community prefers, or should it be more or less formal?)
1. Does the translation use too many words that were borrowed from another language, or are these words acceptable to the language community?
1. Did the writer use an appropriate form of the language acceptable to the wider language community? (Is the writer familiar with the dialects of your language found throughout the area? Did the writer use a form of the language that all of the language community understands well, or did he use a form that is used in only a small area?
If there is a place where the translation uses language in the wrong style, make a note of that so that you can discuss it with the translation team.
The purpose of this section is to make sure that the new translation is accurate. In other words, when compared with the source translation, does the new translation communicate the same meaning (not necessarily with the same wording or the exact order)?
#### Level One
The people who do the Level One accuracy check can be members of the translation team, but they should <u>not</u> be the same people who translated the story or Bible passage that they are checking. They can also be members of the community who are not part of the translation team. They should be speakers of the language of the translation, be respected in the community, and, if possible, know the Bible well in the language of wider communication. The purpose of this step is to make sure that the translation accurately communicates the meaning of the original story or Bible passage. The checkers will be helping the translation team think about the best way to translate the meaning of the story or Bible passage in their own language. There can be one person who checks a story or Bible passage, or more than one. Having more than one person checking a story or passage can be helpful, because often different checkers will notice different things.
#### Levels Two and Three
The people who do the Level Two or Level Three accuracy check should not be members of the translation team. They should be church leaders who speak the language of the translation and who know the Bible well in the source language. It is true that the language community members who do the [Language Community Check](../language-community-check/01.md) *must not* look at the source text while they check the translation for naturalness and clarity. But for accuracy testing, the accuracy checkers *must* look at the source text so that they can compare it with the new translation.
#### All Levels
The people doing the checking should follow these steps:
1. Each of the checkers should read the translation (or listen to the recording) by himself, comparing it to the original Bible passage or story in the language of wider communication. It can be helpful for the translator to read the translation out loud to the checker while the checker follows along looking at the source Bible or Bibles. As the checker reads (or listens to) the translation and compares it to the source, he should keep in mind these general questions:
* Does the translation add anything to the original meaning? (The original meaning also includes [Implicit Information](../../translate/figs-explicit/01.md).)
* Is there any part of the meaning that is left out of the translation?
* Has the translation changed the meaning in any way?
1. The checker should make notes where he thinks there might be a problem or something to be improved. Each checker will discuss these notes with the translation team.
1. After the checkers have checked a Bible Story or chapter individually, they should all meet with the translator or translation team and review the story or Bible passage together. As they come to the places where each checker made note of a problem or question, the checkers can ask their questions or make suggestions for improvement. As the checkers and the translation team discuss the questions and suggestions, they might think of other questions or new ways of saying things. This is good. As the checkers and the translation team work together, God will help them discover the best way to communicate the meaning of the story or Bible passage.
1. After the checkers and the translation team have decided what they need to change, the translation team will revise the translation.
1. After the translation team revises the translation, they should read it out loud to each other or to other members of the language community to make sure that it still sounds natural in their language.
1. The translator (or team) makes a note of any Bible passages that are still difficult to understand, and where they would like additional help from other Bible checkers. These notes will be used by the church leaders and checkers in levels two and three, so that they can help the translators understand the meaning and communicate it more clearly.
##### Additional Questions
These questions can also be helpful for finding anything that might be inaccurate in the translation:
* Was everything that was mentioned in the source language translation also mentioned in the flow of the new (local) translation?
* Did the meaning of the new translation follow the message (not necessarily the wording) of the source translation? (Sometimes if the arrangement of words or the order of ideas is different than in the source translation, it sounds better that way and is still accurate.)
* Were the people introduced in each story doing the same things as those mentioned in the source language translation? (Was it easy to see who was doing the events of the new translation when it was compared to the source language?)
* Are there translationWords used in the new translation that do not match your understanding of the words in the source version? Think about things like this: How do your people talk about a priest (one who sacrifices to God) or a temple (the sacrifice place of the Jews) without using a word borrowed from the source language?
* Are the phrases used in the new translation helpful in understanding the more difficult phrases of the source translation? (Are the phrases of the new translation put together in a way that brings better understanding and still fit with the meaning of the source language translation?)
* Another way to determine if the text is accurate is to ask comprehension questions about the translation, such as, "who did what, when, where, how, and why." There are questions that have already been prepared to help with this. (To view the translationQuestions go to http://ufw.io/tq/.) The answers to those questions should be the same as the answers to those questions about the source language translation. If they are not, there is a problem in the translation.
It is very important to make sure that the new translation is accurate. Those who have been chosen to check the translation for accuracy have the responsibility to make sure that it communicates the same meaning as the original writer intended and expected to communicate.
For instructions on how to do this, go to [Accuracy Check](../accuracy-check/01.md), and follow the steps in the section under the heading "All Levels."
As you read the translation, ask yourself these questions about the way words are spelled. These questions will help to determine if an appropriate alphabet has been chosen to represent the sounds of the language and if words have been written in a consistent way so that the translation will be easy to read.
1. Is the alphabet suitable to represent the sounds of the language of the new translation? (Are there any sounds that make a difference in meaning but have to use the same symbol as another sound? Does this make the words hard to read? Can additional marks be used to adjust these letters and show the differences?)
1. Is the spelling used in the book consistent? (Are there rules that the writer should follow to show how words change in different situations? Can they be described so others will know how to read and write the language easily?)
1. Has the translator used expressions, phrases, connectors, and spellings that will be recognized by most of the language community?
If there is something about the alphabet or spelling that is not right, make a note of that so that you can discuss it with the translation team.
During the first few days of a MAST workshop, translation teams are guided through the process of developing an authentic assessment rubric for their translation project. Below are the instructions for creating this rubric, which then guides the checking process throughout the project.
1. Ask the translation team to choose a leader/representative of their language group to manage the rubric building process. Also look for an individual who is able to translate this rubric into English (it is possible to need double translation, first into the national language and then into English).
Pídale al equipo de traducción que elija un líder / representante de su grupo de idiomas para administrar el proceso de construcción de la rúbrica. También busque una persona que pueda traducir esta rúbrica al inglés (es posible que necesite una doble traducción, primero al idioma nacional y luego al inglés).
2. Ask the individuals on the team the following (each one should work on this on their own first.)
* What is a good translation?
* List at least ten qualities. Even twenty if you want to stretch.
* Work together as a team to make one list that includes all the items from each individual’s list. Combine qualities that are the same and develop one master list of at least 10 qualities that everyone agrees on. The chosen leader will guide this process.
* ¿Qué es una buena traducción?
* Lista de al menos diez cualidades. Incluso veinte si quieres estirarte.
* Trabajen juntos como un equipo para hacer una lista que incluya todos los elementos de la lista de cada individuo. Combine cualidades que sean iguales y desarrolle una lista maestra de al menos 10 cualidades en las que todos estén de acuerdo. El líder elegido guiará este proceso.
3. If everyone is new to this process, the team can refer to v-raft.com to review a sample rubric. Compare your rubric with the sample. Are elements missing from yours that need to be added? Are there extra elements you may not need to keep? After discussing these you are ready to move to step four.
If a leader who has participated in this process before is available, he will review the team's rubric, determine if anything is missing, and ask questions to lead the group toward discovering and adding those traits. Some sample questions are:
* If no one says that key words need to be translated accurately, ask "When you look at the language of scripture, what are some of the things that give scripture a strong sense of accuracy?" Keep asking until they express the "important words" (in some form) and then ask "should those be checked?"
* If no one says that names need to be translated in a consistent way (ie—Jesus, Son of God, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus), ask "what do you think about the different names of Jesus—are those important to be translated consistently with a good source text?"
4. Take the one group rubric and do the rest of the following steps as a team.
5. Define each of those items (verbally, and then record them). Each definition should be clear enough that anyone from that language group could utilize the rubric and understand the traits of quality.
6. Next, you are going to have a discussion of each of the traits on the list and ask:
* How can you measure those items?
* Express that each of these items needs to be put into a "yes or no" type of measure—how can you phrase each quality item into a "yes/no" result?
7. Next ask the group: How can you test those items? In other words, if a person who speaks the language were to later check a translated chapter, could they pick up that chapter, take the rubric and score each of the assessment elements listed?
8. Finally, ask the group the following:
* How can you testify to those items if anyone at any time asked you the question "is this of good quality?"
* If all of these traits in your translation were assessed and proved out as a "yes" within each chapter, would you have a good quality translation?
10. When possible, translate the rubric into English and share it at [v-raft.com](https://v-raft.com).
Below you will see a sample rubric created by following the steps above:
### Sample Rubric
####List Ten or More Characteristics (up to 20 if you can).
Accurate
Community Oriented
Clear
Grammatically consistent
Natural
Faithful to Original Languages
Authoritative
Historical
Equal
Acceptable
Trustworthy
Has Appropriate Familial Terms
Culturally Relevant
#### Combine or Condense the Characteristics. Then define them well.
**Accurate**
1. All key words are present (names, places, transitional statements, time identifiers
2. Key words are translated accurately
3. Nothing is added or missing from the text
4. The text reflects the author's intended meaning
**Clear**
1. The text is understood by a wide range of audiences.
2. The text uses common language.
3. Uses proper language structures (word placement, tenses, sentence structure)
4. Proper punctuation is used.
**Natural**
1. The text sounds like how we speak – uses common language
2. Sounds beautiful and academic
3. The text is efficient and effective in its communication
**Faithful**
1. We're not trying to add in theological, denominational or political meaning
2. True to the source text
3. Uses proper familial terms
**Authoritative**
1. The text reflects original meaning of the source texts
2. The text is confirmed by proper intermediary biblical source texts
3. The supporting texts are acceptable
**Historical**
1. Lines up with archeology
2. The text is supported by secular documents
3. Depicts historical facts accurately
**Equal**
1. The text reflects the author's original intent
2. Genres are the same (poetry, commands, encouragement, story telling)
3. The text uses equal political terminology
4. The tone and purpose are clear and identifiable
Notice that in condensing the qualities, some of the items on the list are combined so there are no longer 10 seperate qualities.
#### Turn each definition into a “yes/no” Measurement.
#### Convierta cada definición en una medida de "sí / no".
**Accurate**
1. Are all key words present? (names, places, transitional statements, time identifiers)
2. Are all key words translated accurately?
3. Was anything added or subtracted from the meaning of the text?
4. To the best of your ability to determine, does the text communicate the author's intended meaning?
**Clear**
1. Are you able to understand and comprehend what you are reading/hearing?
2. Are there too many or two few words that make it confusing?
3. Is the grammatical structure (word placement, tense and sentence structure) appropriate?
4. Is proper punctuation used?
5. Can the young and the old understand it?
**Natural**
1. Does the translation read/sound like someone would speak?
2. Does the translation sound beautiful to you when it is read?
3. Are there too many or two few words that make it confusing?
4. Are all words and phrases common?
**Faithful**
1. We're not trying to add in theological, denominational or political meaning Does this translation avoid political bias?
2. Does this translation avoid theological bias?
3. Does this translation avoid social and cultural bias?
4. Is this translation true to the source text, not denominational inclination?
5. Are literal familial terms used for Son of God and God the Father?
**Authoritative**
1. Does the meaning of the translated content reflect what is understood of the original language texts?
2. Is the text confirmed by intermediary source texts and biblical content?
3. Were the supplementary materials used to guide translation respectable and accepted?
**Historical**
1. Is the text supported by known facts of history, archeology, etc?
2. Are historical events and facts communicated accurately?
3. Are people and places accurately identified, transliterated, or defined?
4. Are steps taken to create clarity for unknown biblical terms (weights, units, financials, etc)?
**Equal**
1. Is the meaning the same and are the same implications drawn in this translation as they are in the source text?
2. Is what type of genre each chapter/book is able to be determined? (poetry, commands, encouragement)
3. Are political terms/expressions of authority/positions clearly articulated?
4. Are the tone and purpose clear and identifiable?
The questions are designed as yes/no. If the answer is yes 70% of the time, but no the other 30%, then the answer is "No". The question has to be answered yes 100% of the time to be "Yes". In this way areas that need attention (even down to the minute details) will get reviewed and edited.
### Authority Level 1: Affirmation by Translation Team
a small change
The intent of this level is to affirm the agreement of the translation team with standard Christian doctrine, as well as with the guidelines for ensuring the accuracy of the translation itself. Content published at this level promotes the broadest reach of the content as an active project, with an open invitation (implied or direct) to members of the language community to suggest improvements to the translation.
The intent of this level is to affirm the agreement of the translation team with standard Christian doctrine, as well as with the guidelines for ensuring the accuracy of the translation itself. Publishing content at this level makes it available to members of the language community and provides an open invitation (implied or direct) to them to suggest improvements to the translation.
To achieve this level, the translation team asserts that the [Statement of Faith](../../intro/statement-of-faith/01.md) is an accurate reflection of their own beliefs and that the translated content is also in harmony with it.
The translator (or team) asserts that the translation has been done in accordance with the [Translation Guidelines](../../intro/translation-guidelines/01.md) and that they have made use of available exegetical and translation checking resources in the translation process, including the translationNotes and translationWords.
The translation team asserts that the translation has been done in accordance with the MAST process and that they have made use of available exegetical and translation checking resources in the translation process, including the Translation Notes and Translation Words.
An explanation of the steps followed during level one checking are available at [Level One Check](../level1/01.md).
1. to affirm the effectiveness of the form of the language used in the translation, as determined by representatives of the language community
1. affirmer l'efficacité de la forme de la langue utilisée dans la traduction, telle que déterminée par les représentants de la communauté linguistique
1. to affirm the accuracy of the translation, as determined by pastors or leaders from the local churches that will use it
1. affirmer l'exactitude de la traduction, telle que déterminée par les pasteurs ou les dirigeants des églises locales qui l'utiliseront
At this level, the model implements the concept of a "testimony of two or three witnesses" in the checking process.
To achieve this level, the translation team will submit the translation to members of the language community that will use the translation. The language community will review the translation for **clarity** and **naturalness**.
À ce niveau, le modèle met en œuvre le concept de «témoignage de deux ou trois témoins» dans le processus de vérification.
The translation team will then submit the translation to church leaders from the language community that will use the translation. These church leaders will review the translation for **accuracy** by checking it against the source texts, the exegetical resources, the [Statement of Faith](../../intro/statement-of-faith/01.md), and the [Translation Guidelines](../../intro/translation-guidelines/01.md).
To achieve this level, the translation team will submit the translation to members of the language community that will use the translation. The language community will review the translation for **clarity** and **naturalness**. The team will also work with church leaders from the language community to review the translation for **accuracy** by checking it against the source texts, the exegetical resources, the [Statement of Faith](../../intro/statement-of-faith/01.md), and the [Translation Guidelines](../../intro/translation-guidelines/01.md).
The translation team will edit the translation based on these reviews so that the language community affirms that it is natural and clear, and the church leaders affirm that it is accurate.
The rubric created by the translation team will be used as a guide during this check. Specific steps to be taken for this level of checking can be found at [Level Two Check](../level2/01.md).
The translation team will edit the translation based on these reviews so that the language community affirms that it is natural and clear, and so that the church leaders affirm that it is accurate.
### Authority Level 3: Affirmation by Church Leadership
### Affirmation by Church Leadership
### Checking Edit
The intent of this level is to affirm that the translation agrees with the intent of the original texts and with the sound doctrine of the Church historic and universal.
To achieve this level, the translation team will submit the translation for review by the highest leadership of the Church that speaks the language. It is best if these leaders represent as many of the major groups of churches that exist in the language community as possible. Level 3 is thus achieved by the mutual agreement of the leadership of multiple church networks.
L'... I don't know french
To achieve this level, the translation team will work with the highest leadership of the church that speaks the language to review the Scripture. It is best if these leaders represent as many of the major groups of churches (networks and denominations) that exist in the language community as possible. Level 3 is thus achieved by the mutual agreement of the leadership of multiple church networks.
The translation team will edit the translation so that the leadership of these church networks affirm that it is an accurate translation and will be accepted by their church fellowships.
Level 3 is completed when the translation has been thoroughly checked and approved by the leadership (or their delegates) of at least two church networks that have personnel that are familiar with translation principles and are trained in biblical languages and content.
The authentic assessment rubric will be used to guide this process. Specific steps for level 3 checking are available at [Level Three Check](../level3/01.md).
Level 3 is completed when the translation has been thoroughly checked and affirmed by the leadership (or their delegates) of at least two church networks.
The Church in each people group has the authority to decide for themselves what is and what is not a good quality translation of the Bible in their language. Authority to check and approve a Bible translation (which is constant) is separate from capacity, or the ability to carry out the process of checking a Bible translation (which can be increased). The authority for determining quality belongs to the Church, independent of their current ability, experience, or access to resources that facilitate the checking of Bible translations. So while the church in a language group has the authority to check and approve their own Bible translation, the unfoldingWord tools, including these modules of translationAcademy, are designed to ensure that the church also has the capacity to check the quality of their Bible translation using an excellent process.
The church in each people group has the authority to decide for themselves what is and what is not a good quality translation of the Bible in their language. Authority to check and validate a Bible translation (which is constant) is separate from capacity, or the ability to carry out the process of checking a Bible translation (which can be increased). The authority for determining quality belongs to the church, independent of their current ability, experience, or access to resources that facilitate the checking of Bible translations. So while the church in a language group has the authority to check and validate their own Bible translation, tools and resources available on bibleineverylanguage.org are designed to ensure that the church also has the capacity to check the quality of their Bible translation using an excellent process.
This model proposes a three-tiered approach to affirming the quality of a translation, designed to reflect three general levels of Church authority within a people group:
This model proposes a layered approach to affirming the quality of a translation, designed to reflect three general levels of church authority within a people group:
* [Authority Level 1](../authority-level1/01.md): Determined by the Church-based translation team
* [Authority Level 2](../authority-level2/01.md): Determined by the agreement of pastors/elders who are members of different Church networks in the language group, and tested with the language community
* [Authority Level 3](../authority-level3/01.md): Determined by the leadership of Church networks with a presence in the people group that speaks the language
* [Authority Level 1](../authority-level1/01.md): the church-based translation team
* [Authority Level 2](../authority-level2/01.md): the leaders of the local church along with other members of the language community
* [Authority Level 3](../authority-level3/01.md): the leaders of multiple local churches, a network of churches, or multiple evangelical denominations
The process for checking a translation will be described in the modules under the heading "Checking Process."
Every check on the translation will be guided by the authentic assessment rubric that is created by the translation team to express the essential qualities of a good translation.
After the translation has been checked by community members for clarity, it will be checked by a group of church leaders for accuracy. This group must consist of at least three church leaders who are native speakers of the target language, and who understand well one of the languages in which the source text is available. They should not be related to, or otherwise closely connected with, the translation team. Usually these reviewers will be pastors. These church leaders should represent the different church networks in the language community. We recommend that the group includes church leaders from three different church networks, if the community has that many.
These reviewers should follow these steps:
1. Read the [Translation Guidelines](../../intro/translation-guidelines/01.md) to make sure that the translation is in agreement with both of those as they review the translation.
1. Answer the questions about the translator or translation team that are located at [Translator Qualifications](../../translate/qualifications/01.md).
1. Verify that the translation has been done in a style that is acceptable to the intended audience by asking the questions at [Acceptable Style](../acceptable/01.md).
1. Verify that the translation accurately communicates the meaning of the source text by following the guidelines at [Accuracy Check](../accuracy-check/01.md).
1. Verify that the translation is complete by following the guidelines at [Complete Translation](../complete/01.md).
1. After you have reviewed several chapters or one book of the Bible, meet with the translation team and ask about each problem. Discuss with the translation team how they might adjust the translation in order to fix the problems. Make plans to meet again with the translation team at a later time, after they have had time to adjust the translation and test it with the community.
1. Meet again with the translation team to verify that they have fixed the problems.
1. Affirm that the translation is good. See [Level 2 Affirmation](../good/01.md) to do that on the Level Two Affirmation page.
Ask yourself questions like the following as you read the translation to see if the translated message is clear. For this section of testing, do not compare the new translation with the source language translation. If there is a problem at any place, make a note of it so that you can discuss the problem with the translation team at a later time.
1. Do the words and phrases of the translation make the message understandable? (Are the words confusing, or do they tell you plainly what the translator means?)
1. Do your community members use the words and expressions found in the translation, or has the translator borrowed many words from the national language? (Is this the way your people talk when they want to say important things in your language?)
1. Can you read the text easily and understand what the writer might say next? (Is the translator using a good style of telling the story? Is he telling things in a way that makes sense, so that each section fits with what came before and what comes after?)
Additional help:
* One way to determine if the text is clear is to read a few verses at a time out loud and ask someone listening to retell the story after each section. If the person can easily restate your message, then the writing is clear.
* If there is a place where the translation is not clear, make a note of that so that you can discuss it with the translation team.
We, the members of the translation team, affirm that we have checked the translation with members of the language community.
* We have checked the translation with old people and young people, and with men and women.
* We used the translationQuestions when we checked the translation with the community.
* We corrected the translation to make it clearer and easier to understand in the places where the community members did not understand it well.
Please also answer the following questions. The answers to these questions will help those in the wider Christian community know that the target language community finds the translation to be clear, accurate, and natural.
* List a few passages where the community feedback was helpful. How did you change these passages to make them clearer?
<br>
<br>
<br>
* Write an explanation for some of the Important Terms, explaining how they are equal to terms used in the source language. This will help the checkers understand why you chose these terms.
<br>
<br>
<br>
* Does the community verify that there is a good flow to the language when the passages are read out loud? (Does the language sound like the writer was a person from your own community?)
<br>
<br>
<br>
The community leaders might want to add their own information to this or make a summary statement about how acceptable this translation is to the local community. This can be included as part of the Level Two Community Check Evaluation information. The wider church leadership will have access to this information, and it will help them validate the translation as approved by the local Christian community when they do the Level Two Church Check and also Level Three Checking.
The purpose of this section is to make sure that the translation is complete. In this section, the new translation must be compared to the source translation. As you compare the two translations, ask yourself these questions:
1. Is the translation missing any of its parts? In other words, does the translation include all the events of the book that was translated?
1. Does the translation include all the verses of the book that was translated? (When you look at the verse numbering of the source language translation, are all of the verses included in the target language translation?) Sometimes there are differences in verse numbering between translations. For example, in some translations some verses are grouped together or sometimes certain verses are put in footnotes. Even though there may be these kinds of differences between the source translation and the target translation, the target translation is still considered to be complete.
1. Are there places in the translation where something seems to be left out, or there seems to be a different message than is found in the source language translation? (The wording and the order can be different, but the language that the translator used should give the same message as the source language translation.)
If there is a place where the translation is not complete, make a note of that so that you can discuss it with the translation team.
In order for readers to be able to understand the translation easily, it is important that there be consistency in the following things: spelling, punctuation, and formatting.
#### Important Words
Check the important words throughout the whole translation to see that you have translated them in a consistent way. This does not mean that they must always be translated the same way, but that each sense of the word is translated in the same way. (See [Key Word Check](../checking/key-word-check/01.md))
#### Spelling
It will be good to have a consistent way of spelling all the words in your language. But in your checks, you may want to focus on checking the spelling of key terms, words you have borrowed from another language, and the names of people and places. (See: [Consistent Spelling](../translate/presentation-spelling/01.md))
#### Punctuation
Check to see what decisions your team has made concerning punctuation, and make sure that it is used in a consistent way throughout your Bible. (See [Consistent Punctuation](../translate/presentation-punctuation/01.md))
#### Formatting
Translators can use formatting to help readers understand how a text is organized. (See: [Formatting](../translate/presentation-formatting/01.md))
**Paragraphs** help readers see how ideas are organized. If you use paragraph breaks in your translation, check to see that the breaks are in places that will be helpful for the readers. If you have a chapter with only one or two paragraphs, you may want to see if it could be broken up more. You may use the paragraph breaks in the Unlocked Literal Bible as a guide. You can see paragraphs in the Unlocked Literal Bible at [Bibleineverylanguage.org](https://door43.org/u/WycliffeAssociates/en_ulb/e744fe644f/index.html).
**Indenting poetry** can help readers recognize that a portion of text is poetic, and it can help readers understand the structure of the poem. If you indent poetry, make sure that you do it in a consistent way.
**Indenting lists** can help readers recognize the organization of a complex list.
**Section headings** can help readers know what a portion of scripture is about before they start reading it. Section headings can also help readers find a passage that they want to read. If you use section headings, be sure that they are formatted differently than the rest of the text so readers can know that they are not part of the original text. You may want to center the headings over the page, or use bold or italic character styles. Make sure that your section headings all have the same character styles.
There are checks that you can do before, during, and after translation of a book of the Bible that will make the translation go much easier, look good, and be as easy to read as possible. The modules in this section give more information about the following topics.
### Before Translating
The translation team should make decisions about the following issues before you start to translate.
1. Alphabet (see [Appropriate Alphabet](../alphabet/01.md))
1. Spelling (see [Consistent Spelling](../spelling/01.md))
1. Punctuation (see [Consistent Punctuation](../punctuation/01.md))
### While Translating
After you have translated several chapters, the translation team may need to revise some of these decisions to take care of problems that they discovered while translating. You can also do consistency checks in ParaTExt at this time to see if there are more decisions that you need to make about spelling and punctuation.
### After Finishing a Book
After finishing a book, you can check to make sure that all the verses are there, and you can decide on section headings. It is also helpful to write down ideas for section headings as you translate.
1. Versification (see [Complete Versification](../verses/01.md))
1. Section Headings (see [Section Headings](../headings/01.md))
The goal of checking is to help the translation team produce a translation that is accurate, natural, clear, and accepted by the church. The translation team also wants to achieve this goal. This might seem easy, but it is actually very difficult to do, and takes many people and many, many revisions to the translation to achieve. For this reason, the checkers play a very important role in helping the translation team to produce a translation that is accurate, natural, clear, and accepted by the church.
#### Accurate
The checkers who are pastors, church leaders, and leaders of church networks will help the translation team produce a translation that is accurate. They will do this by comparing the translation with the source language and, when possible, also with the original languages of the Bible. (For more information about accurate translations, see [Create Accurate Translations](../../translate/guidelines-accurate/01.md).)
#### Clear
The checkers who are members of the language community will help the translation team produce a translation that is clear. They will do this by listening to the translation and pointing out to them the places where the translation is confusing or does not make sense to them. Then the translation team can fix those places so that they are clear. (For more information about clear translations, see [Create Clear Translations](../../translate/guidelines-clear/01.md).)
#### Natural
The checkers who are members of the language community will also help the translation team produce a translation that is natural. They will do this by listening to the translation and pointing out to them the places where the translation sounds strange and does not sound like the way that someone who speaks their language would say it. Then the translation team can fix those places so that they are natural. (For more information about natural translations, see [Create Natural Translations](../../translate/guidelines-natural/01.md).)
#### Church-approved
The checkers who are members of a church in the language community will help the translation team produce a translation that is approved and accepted by the church in that community. They will do this by working together with members and leaders of other churches from the language community. When members and leaders that represent the churches of a language community work together and agree that the translation is good, then it will be accepted and used by the churches in that community. (For more information about translations that are approved by the church, see [Create Church-Approved Translations](../../translate/guidelines-church-approved/01.md).)
* Make a list of the translationWords in the story or Bible passage that you translate, along with the term that you choose for it in the target language. It is best if you can do this on a chart so that you can list the source word or phrase in one column and the target word or phrase in another column. Further columns could list equivalent terms in other languages and the references where these terms occur in the Bible. Make sure that everyone translating Bible books that use these terms has access to the chart so that you can all use the same words or phrases in your translation.
* Use the list of words and definitions in the translationWords section of Door43 or translationStudio to help you to make a list of these words and to understand what they mean.
* Each time the translationWord occurs in the source text, make sure that the term you have chosen for the translation still makes sense in that context. If it does not, discuss the problem with others on the translation team and try to find a solution together. You may need to use a different term, or you may need to use more than one term for the different contexts, or you may need to find another way to communicate the translationWord that includes all of the meanings, such as using a longer phrase.
* When you have decided that you need to use different target language words or phrases to translate one source language translationWord in different contexts, then make a new line on the chart for each different way that you are translating the source translationWord. Repeat the source term in the source column, and put the new translation in the next column, under the first translation. Share this chart with everyone on the translation team so that they can choose the right translation for the source translationWord in the context that they are translating.
Authentic Assessment is a process for evaluating the quality of a work. It is done by setting a standard for the quality and then relying on that standard as a measurement throughout the process of producing the work. This standard is called a rubric.
### Translation Checking Manual
This manual describes how to check translated biblical content for accuracy, clarity, and naturalness.
Translation teams work together to design a rubric of objective criteria that must be present for their scripture translation to be considered good. They use that rubric as they produce their translation and as they assess its quality. If they find that any part of the translation lacks a particular characteristic, they adjust the translation so that it will have that characteristic.
The manual begins with instructions for checking the translation that the translation team will use to check each other's work. If they follow these instructions, they will complete checking level one. Then there are instructions for the translation team to use for checking the translation with the language community for clarity and naturalness, and for church leaders to use when they check the translation for accuracy. If they follow these instructions, they will complete checking level two. This manual also contains instructions for the leaders of church networks to use for checking the translation for accuracy at level three.
After the team has affirmed the quality of their translation, the community and church leadership also use the rubric to assess its quality. If they find that any part of the translation lacks a particular characteristic, they they tell the translation team who then compares the issue with the standard in the rubric to decide if changes need to be made.
Developing a rubric and using it from start to finish helps ensure that the translation is assessed by the same objective criteria from the very start of the project.
The manual also includes further instructions for checking the translation that the leaders of church networks can use to check the translation. Because many leaders of church networks do not speak the language of the translation, there are also instructions for creating a back translation, which allows people to check a translation in a language that they do not speak.
As part of the translation process, it is necessary that several people check the translation to make sure that it is clearly communicating the message that it should communicate. Several important factors are addressed in checking the translation.
As part of the translation process, it is necessary that several people check the translation to make sure that it is clearly communicating the message that it should communicate. A beginning translator who was told to check his translation once said, "But I speak my native language perfectly. The translation is for that language. What more is needed?" What he said was true, but there are two more things to keep in mind.
One important reason for checking the translation is to affirm accuracy. The translator may not have understood fully the passage in the source text, and therefore not have communicated it clearly in his translation. Using tools such as commentaries and other translations can be helpful in confirming that the meaning is accurately understood and conveyed.
One thing is that he may not have understood the source text correctly, and so someone who knows what it should say might be able to correct the translation. This could be because he did not correctly understand a phrase or expression in the source language. In this case, someone else who understands the source language well can correct the translation.
Another reason for checking is to affirm naturalness and flow. The person translating may not have used the most common venacular. Having others in the language community read it to check for flow will provide insight for correcting awkward wording.
Or it could be that he did not understand something about what the Bible meant to communicate at a certain place. In this case, someone who knows the Bible well, such as a Bible teacher or a Bible translation checker, can correct the translation.
Checking is also important to affirm consistant and correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. Often the translation is into a previously unwritten language, so translators and other team members may have to work together to agree on spelling and punctuation.
The other thing is that, although the translator may know very well what the text should say, the way he translated it might mean something else to a different person. That is, another person might think that the translation is talking about something other than what the translator intended, or the person hearing or reading the translation might not understand what the translator was trying to say. That is why it is always necessary to check what someone else understands from the translation so that we can make it more accurate and more clear.
As soon as the translator has created a draft, he will begin to check it himself. Several layers of checking by others on the translation team will follow. Finally two other levels of checking outside the translation team are recommended. One will help others in the community to test the translation for naturalness and flow. The other will give theologians and scholars of various denominations the opportunity to provide recommendations.
This is a guide to the process of checking, in the form of a scale with three levels.
This checking scale helps to show the extent to which the accuracy and clarity of a translation have been verified. These checking levels have been developed by the unfoldingWord project (see https://unfoldingword.bible ), the same group that manages Door43 with the help of many volunteers, and they are used to indicate the checking level of all biblical content on Door43.
#### The Checking Levels
There are three checking levels:
* [Checking Level One - Affirmation by Translation Team](../level1/01.md)
* [Checking Level Two - Affirmation by Community](../level2/01.md)
* [Checking Level Three - Affirmation by Church Leadership](../level3/01.md).
Any translation that has not yet been checked to Level One is considered to have not been checked and is assigned no checking status.
The purpose of having several Checking Levels is to make translated materials quickly available to the church, while also allowing the content to continue to be checked and corroborated in an open environment. At all times, the degree to which its accuracy has been checked will be clearly indicated. We believe this will result in a faster checking process, allow broad church participation and ownership, and produce better translations.
Checking the Scripture may seem tedious, but it is well worth the time and effort. The translation improves with each new set of eyes that can provide feedback and recommendations.
Checking levels are designed to expand the sphere of people who have the opportunity to check and affirm the quality of the translation. There are three levels of checking that lead to three levels of affirmation.
### How Checking Levels Work
The three checking levels are as follows:
Here are some important tips to remember when working with Checking Levels:
* Level One Check: done by the translation team.
* Level Two Check: done by the leaders of a local church and the Christian community.
* Level Three Check: done by the leaders of multiple local churches, a network of churches, or multiple evangelical denominations.
* Only translations that have reached Checking Level One or higher will be made available on the unfoldingWord website and the unfoldingWord mobile app. (see http://ufw.io/content/)
* Only translations that have reached Checking Level Three will be approved as source texts for other translations.
* When a checking level has been completed and all appropriate edits have been made to the translation on door43, the checkers will inform unfoldingWord of the details of the check, including who did the checking and their title or qualifications as a translation checker. unfoldingWord will then harvest a copy of what is on door43, digitally publish a static copy of it on the unfoldingWord website (see https://unfoldingword.bible ) and make it available on the unfoldingWord mobile app. A print-ready PDF will also be produced and made available for download. It will continue to be possible to change the checked version on door43, allowing for future checking and editing.
* For *Open Bible Stories* projects: Only *Open Bible Stories* translations that have been made from version 3.0 or higher of the English source text are eligible to be checked to Level One (or higher). Translations made from versions before 3.0 must be updated before proceeding with Checking Levels. (see [Source Texts and Version Numbers](../../translate/translate-source-version/01.md))
### What the Checks Achieve
### The Checking Levels
Each of the checking levels results in an affirmation level. The checking levels as explained in this manual are a guide for affirming quality and expanding the exposure of a new translation.
The strategy for quality assurance of unfoldingWord content, including *Open Bible Stories*, is described briefly here and in detail at http://ufw.io/qa/.
During a MAST workshop the translators do the Level One Check by engaging in the checking steps (steps 5-8) as a team. This platform assures that the individual's work is edited by other members. Additionally, these steps give team members the responsibility of working together to agree on and affirm the final product. Once this is done, the translation has reached Affirmation Level One.
The three-level checking scale we use is dependent on the unfoldingWord [Translation Guidelines](../../intro/translation-guidelines/01.md). All translated content is compared against the theology of the Statement of Faith and against the procedures and methodologies of the Translation Guidelines. With these documents forming the foundation, these are the three levels of checking used in the unfoldingWord project:
At this point, the team is encourageed to print or otherwise publish their translation so that it can be immediately useful.They are also invited to upload their translation to the Wycliffe Associates content server.
* [Checking Level One - Affirmation by Translation Team](../level1/01.md)
* [Checking Level Two - Affirmation by Community](../level2/01.md)
* [Checking Level Three - Affirmation by Church Leadership](../level3/01.md)
Also at this point, the translation team and church leaders will determine what further checking and subsequent affirmation levels should be reached.
### Checking the Checkers
Level Two Check is done by the church leaders and other Christian members of the community. When any needed changes have been made and the leaders and members have affirmed the quality of the translation, the translation has reached Affirmation Level Two.
Finally, some translation teams may wish to have their work reviewed and affirmed by a network of denominational leaders and scholars. When any needed changes have been made and the network of leaders and scholars has affirmed the quality of the translation, the translation has reached Affirmation Level Three.
### How Affirmation Levels Are Used
* Translations that reach Level One Affirmation can be made available to others on the Bible in Every Language website.
* Translations that reach Level Three Affirmation can be used as source texts for other translation projects.
The process and checking framework described in this document depends on an ongoing process of checking and revising content, as determined by the Church that uses the content. Feedback loops are encouraged (and modeled in translation software, where feasible) with a view to maximizing input from the greatest number of users of the content. The translations of the content are made available on the translation platform (see http://door43.org ), which is designed to make it easy for users to collaboratively create content that increases in quality over time.
* Key words are the words that impact the theme and message of the passage--they are abstract, spiritual, geographical and historical terms. Make a list of the key words in the story or Bible passage that you translate, along with the term that you choose for it in the target language. Here are some things to consider in choosing an appropriate term in your mother-tongue.
* You may choose to borrow the term from the Gateway Language and adjust the spelling to fit your script and pronunciation.
* You may choose to create a phrase or combine a few words into one.
* You may choose a word with an added descriptor.
* You may choose the common use word from the local Christian community.
* You may choose a simple equivalent from every-day language use.
* Use the list of words and definitions in the Translation Words resource available on bibleineverylanguage.org and translationStudio to help you to make a list of these words and to understand what they mean. Your own list may include additional words, but be careful not to include too many words. If the list is too detailed, checking becomes tedious. Additionally, checking every (or almost every word) can push the translated material away from natural flow in the target language. Remember, key words are ones of significance, packed with essential meaning and are often difficult to directly translate.
* It is best if you can create a chart so that you can list the source word or phrase in one column and the target word or phrase in another column. Further columns could list equivalent terms in other languages and the references where these terms occur in the Bible. It is ideal if everyone translating Bible books that use these terms has access to the chart so that you can all use the same words or phrases in your translation.
* Each time the key word occurs in the source text, make sure that the term you have chosen for the translation still makes sense in that context. If it does not, discuss the problem with others on the translation team and try to find a solution together. You may need to use a different term, or you may need to use more than one term for the different contexts, or you may need to find another way to communicate the key word that includes all of the meanings, such as using a longer phrase.
* When you have decided that you need to use different target language words or phrases to translate one source language key word in different contexts, then make a new line on the chart for each different way that you are translating the source word. Repeat the source term in the source column, and put the new translation in the next column, under the first translation. If possible, share this chart with everyone on the translation team so that they can choose the right translation for the source word in the context that they are translating.
After you, the translation team, have performed the checks listed under Level One, you are ready to take the translation to the community so that you can check to see if it communicates the message clearly and naturally to them in the target language.
For this check you will read a section of the translation to members of the language community. Before you read the translation, tell the people listening that you want them to stop you if they hear something that is not natural in their language. (For more information on how to check a translation for naturalness, see [Natural Translation](../natural/01.md).)
There are a set of questions and answers for each *Open Bible Story* and for each chapter of the Bible that you can use to test the translation to make sure that it is communicating clearly. (See http://ufw.io/tq/ for the questions.)
To use these questions, follow these steps:
1. Read the passage of the translation to one or more members of the language community who will answer the questions. These members of the language community must be people who have not been involved in the translation before. In other words, the community members who are asked the questions should not already know the answers to the questions from working on the translation or from previous knowledge of the Bible. We want them to be able to answer the questions only from hearing or reading the translation of the story or Bible passage. This is how we will know if the translation is communicating clearly or not. For this same reason, it is important that the community members not look at a Bible while they are answering these questions.
1. Ask the community members some of the questions for that passage, one question at a time. It is not necessary to use all of the questions for each story or chapter if it seems that the community members are understanding the translation well.
1. After each question, a member of the language community will answer the question. If the person only answers with a "yes" or a "no," then the questioner should ask a further question so that he can be sure that the translation is communicating well. A further question could be something like, "How do you know that?" or "What part of the translation tells you that?"
1. Write down the answer that the person gives. If the person's answer is similar to the suggested answer that has been provided for the question, then the translation of the story is clearly communicating the right information at that point. The answer does not have to be exactly the same as the suggested answer to be a right answer, but it should give basically the same information. Sometimes the suggested answer is very long. If the person answers with only part of the suggested answer, that is also a right answer.
1. If the answer is unexpected or very different than the suggested answer, or if the person cannot answer the question, then the translation team will need to revise the part of the translation that communicates that information so that it communicates the information more clearly.
1. After the translation team has revised the translation of the passage, then ask other members of the language community the same questions, that is, ask other speakers of the language who have not been involved in checking the same passage before. If they answer the questions correctly, then the translation is now communicating well.
1. Repeat this process with each story or Bible chapter until members of the language community can answer the questions well, showing that the translation is communicating the right information clearly. The translation is ready for the church check of level 2 when language community members who have not heard the translation before can answer the questions correctly.
1. Go to the Community Evaluation page and answer the questions there. (see [Language Community Evaluation Questions](../community-evaluation/01.md))
Level One checking will be done primarily by the translation team; it can also include help from others in the language community. The translator or translation team should check their translation often (usually as soon as a whole chapter is drafted) so that they can correct mistakes as early as possible in the translation process. Sometimes a step will have to be repeated before moving on to the next step.
Level One checking will be done primarily by the translation team, with some help from others in the language community. The translator or translation team should check their translation before they translate very many stories or chapters of the Bible, so that they can correct mistakes as early as possible in the translation process. Many of the steps in this process will need to be done several times before the translation is finished.
Translation teams are invited to upload Bible texts and biblical content to the online server after they reach Checking Level One. This enables the broadest reach of the content as an active project, with an open invitation to others in the language community (implied or direct) to help improve the translation.
For the purposes of the unfoldingWord project, translations of Bible texts and biblical content are able to be published after they reach Checking Level One. This enables the broadest reach of the content as an active project, with an open invitation to others in the language community (implied or direct) to help improve the translation.
### Steps for checking under Level One:
### Steps for level one checking:
These are the steps that the translation team must follow in order to achieve Checking Level One:
1. **Contact.** Make contact with at least one element of the unfoldingWord network, notifying unfoldingWord that you intend to begin translation. To get information about how to do that, see [Finding Answers](../../intro/finding-answers/01.md)
1. **Review.** Review the [Translation Guidelines](../../intro/translation-guidelines/01.md).
1. **Agree.** Agree that the Statement of Faith is an accurate reflection of your own beliefs and that you intend to translate the content in harmony with it and also in accordance with the Translation Guidelines by signing the form. (see http://ufw.io/forms/)
1. **Draft.** Make a draft translation of some portions of the text. For instructions on how to make a draft translation, see [First Draft](../../translate/first-draft/01.md)
1. **Self Check**. For instructions on how to do a Self Check of your draft translation, see [Self Check](../self-check/01.md).
1. **Peer Check**. For instructions on how to do a Peer Check of your draft translation, see [Peer Check](../peer-check/01.md).
1. **translationWord Check**. For instructions on how to do an translationWord Check of your draft translation, see [translationWord Check](../important-term-check/01.md).
1. **Accuracy Check**. For instructions on how to do an Accuracy Check of your draft translation, see [Accuracy Check](../accuracy-check/01.md).
1. **Affirmation**. Affirm that you, as a translation team or individual, have made full use of the translationNotes, the definitions of translationWords, and the other exegetical and translation checking resources in the translation process, and that you have followed the steps for checking under Level One.
1. Once a portion has been drafted, the translator of that section will perform a self-edit, using the source text and other available tools to check the draft. For more information about how to do this see [Self-Edit](../self-edit/01.md).
2. When the translator has completed the self-edit, another translator on the team will perform a peer-edit, carefuly comparing the translated text to the source text and using any other available tools to confirm the accuracy and meaningfulness of the translation. He may also provide feedback and comments on spelling, naturalness and flow. The person conducting the peer-edit does not have authority to make changes; his role is to provide feedback and suggestions to the translator of the draft who then makes changes as he deems necessary. For more information on how to conduct a peer-edit, see [Peer-Edit](../peer-edit/01.md).
3. The keywords of the passage are systematically checked against the list of key words in the available tool designed specifically to support this checking step. Alternatively, the translation team can create their own list of key words--abstract spiritual terms, historical and geographical terms and names--and carefully compare their drafted text to that list. This step is typically done by the translator and at least one other member of the translation team. For more information, see [Key Word Check](../key-word-check/01.md).
4. Each verse is carefully checked comparing the drafted text to the original source text, looking for any missing portions or added material. This check is typically done with the translator of the passage and at least one other member of the translation team--preferably a different member than assisted in the keyword check. For more information, see [Verse-by-verse Check](../verse-by-verse/01.md)
When these steps have been completed, edits have been incorporated into the translated portion, and the translation team is collectively satisifed with the product, it is considered level one checked. At this point, if the translation team desires to do so, they are invited to upload the translation to the Wycliffe Associates content server where the work can be seen on [bibleineverylanguage.org](https://bibleineverylanguage.org) to reach a broader community.
(For instructions on how to affirm completion of Level One, see [Level 1 Affirmation](../level1-affirm/01.md).)
The purpose of Level Two checking is to engage representative groups from the local language community to assess the quality of the translating and contribute to its improvement where needed.
### Checking Level Two - External Check
The level two check focuses on pastors and the Christian community within the target language. Once the translation team has reached level one with its translation, the translation is ready to be shared outside the team for further review. Ideally, a leader on the translation team will work with local pastors and Christians to check the scripture's clarity and naturalness.
The purpose of Level Two checking is to verify that representative groups from the local language community agree that the translation is a good one.
The translator or leader will read (if it is a written translation) a portion of the translation to the gathered listeners. Before reading, he should tell the people listening to stop him if they hear something that does not sound natural. Alternatively, if the people are literate, each one in the group can be asked to read a passage of the newly translated material. It is best, even if everyone in the group is literate, to have the portions read out loud to the whole group. Portions should not be too long (this is subjective to the abilities of the group and the type of passage). It is also very important for listeners to understand that they are now a part of the team helping to improve and affirm the quality of the scripture. They themselves are not being tested. Rather the questions are designed to help them provide feedback on the meaningfulness of the new translation.
Level Two checking will be done in two ways:
The following tools have been created to assist teams in checking and are recommended for use during this level: Translation Questions, Translation Notes, and the Reviewer's Guide. Translation Questions and Translation Notes are embedded in tStudio, and all of these tools are available on bibleineverylanguage.org.
1. **Language Community Check**. The translation will be checked by members of the language community to make sure that it is clear, natural, and understandable. For the steps to follow to do the Language Community Check, see [Language Community Check](../language-community-check/01.md).
1. **Church Leader Check**. The translation will be checked by a group of church leaders from the language community to make sure that it is accurate. For the steps to follow to do the Church Leader Check, see [Church Leader Check](../church-leader-check/01.md).
In addition, the translation team will have developed a rubric for testing and affirming the quality of their work. This rubric lists the characeristics that the translation needs to have in order to be of good quality. This rubric will help the team determine which tools and methods to apply to the level two check within their community. More information on this strategy is available at v-raft.com.
Key elements of this level of checking are:
1. Pastors AND other Christians in the community read (or listen to) the translated scriptures and contribute to their improvement
2. The above listed tools are employed for ensuring accuracy and completeness
3. The translation team is responsible to respond to feedback and implement changes in the translation where needed.
When this has been done, the translation is considered to be at level two.
Once this has been done, this work needs to be affirmed (see [Level 2 Affirmation](../good/01.md)).
### Proper Documentation for Level Three Affirmation
I, as a representative of the *<u>fill in name of church network or Bible translation organization</u>* Church Network or Bible translation organization serving the *<u>fill in the name of the language community</u>* language community, approve of the translation, and affirm the following:
1. The translation conforms to the Statement of Faith and Translation Guidelines.
1. The translation is accurate and clear in the target language.
1. The translation uses an acceptable style of the language.
1. The community approves of the translation.
If any problems remain unresolved after meeting with the translation team a second time, please make note of them here.
Signed: *<u>sign here</u>*
Position: *<u>fill in your position here</u>*
For Gateway Languages, you will need to follow the [Source Text Process](../../process/source-text-process/01.md) so that your translation can become a source text.
These are the questions for the Level Three checkers to keep in mind as they read the new translation.
You can answer these questions after you read portions of the translation or as you come across problems in the text. If you answer "no" to any of these questions in the first group, please explain in more detail, include the specific passage that you feel is not right, and give your recommendation for how the translation team should correct it.
Keep in mind that the goal of the translation team is to express the meaning of the source text in a natural and clear way in the target language. This means that they may have needed to change the order of some clauses and that they had to represent many single words in the source language with multiple words in the target language. These things are not considered to be problems in Other Language (OL) translations. The only times that translators should avoid making these changes is for Gateway Language (GL) translations of the ULT and UST. The purpose of the ULT is to show the OL translator how the original biblical languages expressed the meaning, and the purpose of the UST is to express that same meaning in simple, clear forms, even though it might be more natural to use an idiom in the OL. GL translators need to remember those guidelines. But for OL translations, the goal is always to be natural and clear.
Also keep in mind that the translators may have included information that the original audience would have understood from the original message, but that the original author did not state explicitly. When this information is necessary for the target audience to understand the text, it is good to include it explicitly. For more about this, see [Implicit and Explicit Information](../../translate/figs-explicit/01.md).
1. Does the translation conform to the Statement of Faith and Translation Guidelines?
1. Did the translation team show a good understanding of the source language as well as the target language and culture?
1. Does the language community affirm that the translation speaks in a clear and natural way in their language?
1. Which of the following translation styles did the translators appear to follow?
1. word-by-word translation, staying very close to the form of the source translation
1. phrase by phrase translation, using natural language phrase structures
1. meaning-focused translation, aiming for a freedom of local language expression
1. Do the community leaders feel that the style that the translators followed (as identified in question 4) is appropriate for the community?
1. Do the community leaders feel that the dialect that the translators used is the best one to communicate to the wider language community? For example, have the translators used expressions, phrase connectors, and spellings that will be recognized by most people in the language community?
1. As you read the translation, think about cultural issues in the local community that might make some passages in the book difficult to translate. Has the translation team translated these passages in a way that makes the message of the source text clear, and avoids any misunderstanding that people might have because of the cultural issue?
1. In these difficult passages, do the community leaders feel that the translator has used language that communicates the same message that is in the source text?
1. In your judgment, does the translation communicate the same message as the source text? If any part of the translation causes you to answer "no," please answer the second group of questions below.
If you answer "yes" to any of the questions in this second group, please explain in more detail so that the translation team can know what the specific problem is, what part of the text needs correction, and how you would like them to correct it.
1. Are there any doctrinal errors in the translation?
1. Did you find any areas of the translation that seem to contradict the national language translation or the important matters of faith found in your Christian community?
1. Did the translation team add extra information or ideas that were not part of the message in the source text? (Remember, the original message also includes [Implicit Information](../../translate/figs-explicit/01.md).)
1. Did the translation team leave out information or ideas that were part of the message in the source text?
If there were problems with the translation, make plans to meet with the translation team and resolve these problems. After you meet with them, the translation team may need to check their revised translation with the community leaders to make sure that it still communicates well, and then meet with you again.
When you are ready to approve the translation, go here: [Level 3 Approval](../level3-approval/01.md).
Level Three checking will be done by groups or organizations that are recognized by the churches in a language community. The leaders from these groups will verify that they affirm the quality the translation. This affirmation is not required for distribution of the translation, but rather serves to build the community's confidence in the quality of the translation.
### Checking Level Three - Authenticated Check
Participants in this level of checking need to be different from the ones who participated in level two. Each level is an expansion of exposure, and this is most significant in affirming the quality as well as noting any needed improvements.
Level Three checking will be done by groups or organizations that are recognized by the churches in a language community. The leaders from these groups will verify that they approve of the distribution and use of the translation among the people affiliated with them. This approval is not required for distribution of the translation, but rather serves to validate it.
The purpose of this level is to affirm the alignment of the translation with the intent of the original texts and the sound doctrine of the Church historic and universal, through the review and affirmation by the leadership of the church that speaks the language. Level Three is thus achieved by the mutual agreement of the leadership of multiple church networks.
Those who do Level Three checking need to be other than the people who did Level Two checking.
Level Three is completed when the translation has been thoroughly checked and validated by the leadership (or their delegates) of at least two church networks or denominations. When possible these should be leaders who have been trained/ordained through the church network, and they should use every aspect of their own knowledge and training to check the scriptures.
The intent of this level is to affirm the alignment of the translation with the intent of the original texts and the sound doctrine of the Church historic and universal, through the review and affirmation by the leadership of the Church that speaks the language. Level 3 is thus achieved by the mutual agreement of the leadership of multiple church networks. The Church networks should be representative of the churches in the language community. Those checking the translation should be first-language speakers of the language, and those signing off on the check are those in leadership roles in the Church networks. A leader of a Church network who is also a first-language speaker of the language of the translation could both check the translation and sign off on its quality.
Here are some specific steps that can be followed for this check. However, the most important aspect of this check is to consider the authentic assessment rubric created by the translation team as the guide.
Level 3 is completed when the translation has been thoroughly checked and approved by the leadership (or their delegates) of at least two church networks that have personnel trained in biblical languages and content.
1. Does the translation conform to the Statement of Faith and Translation Guidelines?
2. Did the translation team show a good understanding of the source language as well as the target language and culture?
3. Does the language community affirm that the translation speaks in a clear and natural way in their language?
4. Is the style that the translators followed appropriate for the community?
5. Is the dialect that the translators used the best one to communicate to the wider language community? For example, have the translators used expressions, phrase connectors, and spellings that will be recognized by most people in the language community?
6. As you read the translation, think about cultural issues in the local community that might make some passages in the book difficult to translate. Has the translation team translated these passages in a way that makes the message of the source text clear, and avoids any misunderstanding that people might have because of the cultural issue?
7. In these difficult passages, do you feel that the translator has used language that communicates the same message that is in the source text?
8. In your judgment, does the translation communicate the same message as the source text?
If the answer is no to any of the above questions, please note the area in the text that is a concern and communicate with the translation team and explanation of your concerns.
If you answer "yes" to any of the questions in this second group, please explain in more detail so that the translation team can know what the specific problem is, what part of the text needs correction, and how you would like them to correct it.
1. Are there any doctrinal errors in the translation?
1. Did you find any areas of the translation that seem to contradict the national language translation or the important matters of faith found in your Christian community?
1. Did the translation team add extra information or ideas that were not part of the message in the source text? (Remember that some implied information may have been expressed explicity for the meaning to be clear. This is a desirable part of meaningful translation.)
1. Did the translation team leave out information or ideas that were part of the message in the source text?
If there were problems with the translation, make plans to meet with the translation team and resolve these problems. After you meet with them, the translation team may need to check their revised translation with the community leaders to make sure that it still communicates well, and then meet with you again.
Once the translation team has addressed suggestions to the satisfaction of the checking team, the scripture is considered to be checked to level three.
To proceed with Level Three checking, go to [Questions for Checking on Level Three](../level3-questions/01.md).
To translate the Bible so that it is NATURAL means that:
The translation should sound like it was written by a member of the target language community—not by a foreigner.
To check a translation for naturalness, it is not helpful to compare it to the source language. During this check for naturalness, no one should look at the source language Bible. People will look at the source language Bible again for other checks, such as the check for accuracy, but not during this check.
To check a translation for naturalness, you or another member of the language community must read it out loud. You can read it to one other person who speaks the target language or to a group of people. Before you start reading, tell the people listening that you want them to stop you when they hear something that does not sound like the way someone from your language community would say it. When someone stops you, then you can discuss together how someone would say that same thing in a more natural way.
It is helpful to think about a situation in your village in which people would talk about the same kind of thing that the translation is talking about. Imagine people that you know talking about that thing, and then say it out loud in that way. If others agree that that is a good and natural way to say it, then write it that way in the translation.
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