How Many, How Deep, How Long? A Tool to Help Organizations Decide Language Acquisition Goals for Exegetical Advisers.

Emerging paradigms have shifted attention to the roles of consultants and independent translators and away from the role and preparation of exegetical advisors (EAs), even though the pressing need for EAs in programs worldwide remains. In a translation project there are typically insiders who function as mother tongue translators, and outsiders with linguistic expertise who function as EAs. Currently, expectations about the level of proficiency in the host language (HL) that EAs must attain are set by their assigned entity, and these policies are typically applied independent of the relevant factors affecting a specific project. In some organisations, anything less than fluency in the HL is considered incompatible with incarnational ministry. In others, EAs interact primarily through language of wider communication (LWC) back translations and may never be expected to learn the HL(s), though there may be a national language to learn in addition to the LWC. We would like to suggest a third way; that EAs learn as much of the HL(s) as their particular program requires. This paper asks what factors should be considered to determine the level of HL(s) fluency needed by an EA in a specific program. We have developed a tool comprised of a flow-chart and a questionnaire designed to help organisations evaluate the level of HL proficiency a person needs in a specific context in order to function best in their EA role.