Take 59 - 06/22/09: Differences in Dialects (Public)
“Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you” (Philippians 3:15, NLT).
Once, in the forests of a far-off land, there lived two language communities: Alpha One and Alpha Two. The languages were closely related, in fact, Alpha Two was a dialect of Alpha One. One day, translators arrived and began to study the two languages so that they could bring God’s Word to them. After much linguistic research, it was decided that Alpha One would be the language into which Scripture would be translated. Since the two languages were so very similar, Alpha Two speakers would be able to easily understand the Alpha One translation.
But Alpha One was historically perceived to be the dominant language community and Alpha Two speakers felt devalued compared to their neighbors. As translation progressed, the two communities began to disagree. One language used both /sh/ and /s/ sounds, but the other used only /s/. The two groups argued endlessly over the difference. One group even refused to meet with the other to discuss a resolution. Translation came to a stand-still.
· This is a fictionalized account, but it represents a real challenge facing some translators. Differences in dialects can cripple a translation project. Please pray today for translators who struggle with this complex issue. Ask God to soften hearts and bring godly resolution to disagreements.
“Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you” (Philippians 3:15, NLT).
Once, in the forests of a far-off land, there lived two language communities: Alpha One and Alpha Two. The languages were closely related, in fact, Alpha Two was a dialect of Alpha One. One day, translators arrived and began to study the two languages so that they could bring God’s Word to them. After much linguistic research, it was decided that Alpha One would be the language into which Scripture would be translated. Since the two languages were so very similar, Alpha Two speakers would be able to easily understand the Alpha One translation.
But Alpha One was historically perceived to be the dominant language community and Alpha Two speakers felt devalued compared to their neighbors. As translation progressed, the two communities began to disagree. One language used both /sh/ and /s/ sounds, but the other used only /s/. The two groups argued endlessly over the difference. One group even refused to meet with the other to discuss a resolution. Translation came to a stand-still.
· This is a fictionalized account, but it represents a real challenge facing some translators. Differences in dialects can cripple a translation project. Please pray today for translators who struggle with this complex issue. Ask God to soften hearts and bring godly resolution to disagreements.
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