Quality in OBT: The What and the How

Oral (and signed) translations include meaning derived as much from how words are delivered as from the words themselves. Many consultants for written translation have no formal training in orality and little practice deciphering its nuances. What should constitute quality in Oral Bible Translations and how can a consultant check for it?

The issues which surface in traditional Bible Translation quality assurance are all relevant to OBT. Practitioners (translators, exegetical advisors, and consultants) must understand the exegetical issues of the source text to translate the words correctly and the target culture to understand the impact of the ideas on the audience. All traditional CANA issues apply to OBT, but practitioners must also investigate the proper performance which includes the complex layers of meaning speakers communicate with their voices.

Practitioners and consultants trained in traditional translation methods must develop an understanding of the translation challenges introduced by spoken language. Oral performance conveys emotions which strongly correlate with illocutionary force; the same words said with in a different manner can indicate the opposite meaning. Practitioners must understand the emotional content of each section of Scripture to translate it faithfully. Written documents, i.e. source-texts, carry indications of emotion and attitudes that can set parameters for performance features.

This paper investigates oral communication and performance via cognitive linguistic theory, methods of emotional exegesis and the implication these have for OBT drafting and checking.