Posted on August 5th, 2008 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Bible Version • Communication • Culture • Language • Sindhi • Training • Translation • Worldview
Categories: Bible Translation
Both literal or “word for word” translations as well as meaning-based or “thought for thought” translations are legitimate representations of the original biblical manuscripts. Each style of translation has strengths and weaknesses in providing readers access to the content of the biblical writings in their own language. The argument in these articles is that a [...]
Posted on July 1st, 2008 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Bible Version • Communication • Language • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
Both literal or “word for word” translations as well as meaning-based or “thought for thought” translations are legitimate representations of the original biblical manuscripts. Each style of translation has strengths and weaknesses in providing readers access to the content of the biblical writings in their own language. The argument in these articles is [...]
Posted on February 1st, 2008 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Communication • Islam • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
Translation seeks Communication
When our main translator walked into the translation office last December in Shikarpur, Pakistan, I greeted him with, “I have a problem with heaven.” He laughed and responded, “Well, if you have trouble with heaven, what’s left? There is not much more to hope for!” I explained that it was not the concept [...]
Posted on January 9th, 2008 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Language • Religion • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
section headings … can be misleading
I like section headings in Bible translation. They are not part of the original text, but added by the translation team to assist the reader in three ways: “1. to help those already familiar with the Bible to find a passage they know; 2. to help those unfamiliar with the [...]
Posted on September 3rd, 2007 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Bible Version • Church • Culture • Language • Missionary • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
As a missionary involved in Bible translation for the past 18 years, I was disappointed with the tone of the article “‘Packer’s Bible’ now bestseller” appearing in the BC Christian News, August 2007 Vol 27 #8. During the course of celebrating the growth in sales of the English Standard Verson (ESV) – a welcome addition to [...]
Posted on June 1st, 2007 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Communication • Culture • Language • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
Many years before I was involved in Bible translation, I happened to be in the public library and I picked up a copy of The Three Muskateers. A different copy of the same book was also lying on the shelf. I opened the second copy and was astounded to find that [...]
Posted on September 5th, 2006 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Bible Version • Church • Communication • Culture • Language • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
I admit it: I am doing Bible translation1 because I want to see the Sindhi culture change. I want to see people affected by the word of God so that they put Christ at the center of their lives. As people use God’s word as their guide to life [...]
Posted on August 5th, 2006 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Church • Communication • Culture • Islam • Language • Missionary • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
Bible Translation Shapes Faith
A missionary colleague phoned me up quite irate about a translation choice in the Sindhi NT1. A couple of Muslim friends had dropped in for a chat and asked him why Christians did not pray like Muslims by prostrating themselves to the ground. My colleague replied that the Bible speaks of worship [...]
Posted on July 5th, 2006 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Bible Version • Church • Communication • Culture • Language • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
Importance of Clarity in Bible Translation
In discussing Bible translation and Bible versions with a number of people in our churches I have discovered a not uncommon assumption - that the more formal or literal a translation is in maintaining the form of the original language of the text, e.g., NASB, the [...]
Posted on June 4th, 2006 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Church • Cross-Cultural • Culture • Language • Sindhi • Translation • Worldview
Categories: Bible Translation
Accuracy requires a single standard
I remember seeing an ad for a new translation of the Bible claiming to be the “most accurate translation” available today. Although a good marketing tactic, it is less than honest because accuracy in Bible translation is relative to the underlying philosophy and goals of the translation. [...]
Posted on February 4th, 2005 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Communication • Culture • Islam • Language • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
A High View of Scripture
Walk into any store in Pakistan and almost inevitably high up in a corner the Koran can be seen wrapped up in expensive cloth and covered in fresh rose petals. Hand a copy of the Koran to a devout Muslim and they will kiss the book reverently [...]
Posted on January 4th, 2005 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Culture • Dialogue • Islam • Language • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
Scripture as “supra-cultural”
One of the frustrations of Bible translation in an Islamic context stems from the Muslim belief that the Koran was written in heaven and is thus “supra-cultural,” that is, it is not shaped or determined by human culture or language. Although written in the Arabic language, the Muslim conviction [...]
Posted on February 3rd, 2004 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Church • Culture • Language • Sindhi • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
Is Meaning Related to Form?
A colleague in Pakistan more familiar with Sindhi(1) poetry than I am, recently pointed out some similarities between the Song of Deborah in the book of Judges and a type of Sindhi poetry called "qawwali." He noted that both qawwalis and the Song of Deborah range [...]
Posted on May 3rd, 2003 by Mark Naylor
Tags: Communication • Cross-Cultural • Culture • Islam • Language • Missionary • Sindhi • Training • Translation
Categories: Bible Translation
The Perfect Translation Illusion
The translation of Scripture into other languages is a cross-cultural mission activity that enjoys enthusiastic support in evangelical circles. But curiously this support is coupled with wide spread ignorance concerning what constitutes an accurate Bible translation. There seems to be an illusion that the perfect translation is [...]