Expanding Approaches to Bible Translation

The assertion in this book, included within the BPC series, is that translation is as fundamental to biblical material as performance--both in its history as well as in its research approaches. Translation in this sense is more than a transferal of meaning from one linguistic system to another. Bible translation highlights innovative connections and conceptions to biblical texts, in their promulgation, reception, and ever-changing nature. A predominant theory used throughout this book is social semiotic multimodality. This communication theory informs an approach to translation that expands beyond words to other semiotic resources. Sign Language, embodied performance, social media, theater, materiality, and many other types of multimodal communications inform translation. It is important to understand that the Bible is a translated experience. Translation reflects the various ways in which the Bible has been mediated and appropriated throughout history. It follows, therefore, that Bible translation, as a global activity, has been and continues to be influenced by the political and economic flows of history. Race, class, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other elements of our social locations directly influence the enterprise and results of Bible translation.

James A. Maxey is Director of Translation Quality Development at Seed Company. Besides various book chapters and journal articles, he has authored one book in the BPC series, From Orality to Orality (Cascade Books, 2009), and edited another, Translating Scripture for Sound and Performance, with Ernst Wendland (Cascade Books, 2012).