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Bible Translation Languages Madagascar

Bible Translation in Action

A few days ago Sue wrote; “I don’t know why I feel so tired”. Well, this video proves that she had earned the right to feel tired. In this two minute clip she isn’t checking a translation for quality – which is the normal consultant’s role – but rather helping the team to produce a first draft. In this case they are looking at Luke 2:9. Things to notice:

  1. For much of the time there are five people speaking at once.
  2. The team are translating into Betsimisaraka Avaratra (northern) a language from the east coast of Madagascar.
  3. Sue mostly works with the team in French but also uses some official Malagasay. On her screen, she has translations in English, French, Bara (another Madagascan language). There is also has a Greek/French New Testament on the desk and at one point Sue asks her colleague what the official Malagasay language translation says. By my reckoning that makes six languages floating around.
  4. The last scene of the clip shows one team member reading the verse back and translating it into French. Watch him shiver when he says ‘they trembled with fear’ (or ‘they were sore afraid’ if you prefer the AV). Sue closes the scene by declaring the verse parfait – perfect!

3 replies on “Bible Translation in Action”

ooooh, sorry Paul!
But wait till you see the photos of the language area on the East coast where I’ll be going to work with the team next time and you’ll be even more jealous…..

Listening again to this I realised that not all the noise is my group! There is another team working in the same room who you can hear in the background!

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