Greek and Hebrew, not English

Tamara Scott-Williams, in her 2nd September, 2012, Observer column entry entitled "Yes, but is it prappa?," highlighted one of the common misunderstandings people entertain about the translation of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures (the Old and New testaments) into Jamaican Creole. In making reference to "the translation of the New Testament Bible from standard English to Jamaican," the columnist, like so many, assume that the Scriptures in Jamaican are being translated from an English Bible.  This, however, is certainly not the case. The translation of the New Testament, which is to be dedicated later on this year in audio and written formats, is a translation of the extant copies of the original Christian Scriptures as found in the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament.

The Bible Society of the West Indies has not yet begun a translation of the Old Testament - though plans are being made for the activity to begin, not long after the release of Di Jamiekan Nyuu Testiment.  When the Old Testament project begins, its textual basis will be the German Bible Society's Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, the Hebrew Bible most widely used by scholars.

The Greek New Testament and the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia are the two original-language texts recognised by most, if not all, our theological institutions and, by extension, our churches.  With the diversity that exists in the local Christian community and with the scarcity of meaningful theological discourse between the various constituencies, one hopes and expects that the Greek and Hebrew-based Scriptures in the language that binds us all together will serve as a vehicle for inter-community theological reflection and dialogue. One also hopes and expects the interaction with each other around the text of Scripture will lead to constructive criticisms and to recommendations that result in a translation officially approved and used by our churches as one of the vehicles for preaching di Gud Nyuuz of God in Jesus, the Christ.   

BERTRAM GAYLE

bertram_gayle@biblesocietywi.org          

Co-ordinator, Jamaican Creole Translation Project