Translation Consultant Competencies

The Bible translation consulting competencies are split into 5 categories.

The categories are: Bible; Hermeneutics and Exegesis; Communication and Context; Translation; and Partnerships and Procedures. The competencies are listed below.

These competencies are managed by an inter-agency steering committee. Please let us know if you have any feedback on them.

More details

Each of the competencies given above has several components, clarifying what it might involve:

Bible Background Components

• Can apply knowledge of the history and contexts of the Biblical text to exegesis and translation.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the history of textual transmission, approaches to text criticism and the impact on translation choices.
  • Demonstrate overall knowledge of the background of the Bible, e.g. the geographical, cultural, social, historical, archaeological and theological background and its relevance for translation.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with various denominational traditions regarding the canon and the origins and reception of the text, particularly those prevalent in the region of service.
  • Explain clearly to translation teams about the backgrounds to the Bible and implications for translation.

Biblical Content Components

• Can apply knowledge of the genres, themes and overall story of the Bible to exegesis and translation.
  • Demonstrate overall knowledge of biblical content, biblical themes and their development, and different biblical genres (e.g. narrative, poetic, epistolary, prophetic) of the Bible.
  • Explain to translation teams the differences between biblical genres and the implications for translation.

Biblical Languages Components

• Can apply knowledge of the biblical language(s) to verify the faithfulness of a translation.
  • Use dictionaries, commentaries, concordances, software programmes, and other resources to explore the text in its original languages.
  • Apply understanding of the semantics of the biblical language(s) to guide teams in the translation of key terms
  • Apply understanding of grammatical features of the biblical language(s) to guide translation teams.
  • Apply understanding of discourse features of the biblical language(s) to guide translation teams.

Exegesis Components

• Is able to work with teams to increase mutual understanding of the exegesis of the source texts.
  • Employ a method based on exegetical principles to arrive at an understanding of a biblical text in its original literary, historical and cultural context
  • Demonstrate an understanding of different aspects of meaning and context as applied to biblical concepts and their expression through key terms
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the significance of intertextuality for interpretation, whether within the OT or the NT, between testaments, or between the Bible and ancient texts
  • Use commentaries, interlinears and other resources in a way that recognises their different perspectives and purposes
  • Identify and describe potential exegetical issues in a translated text
  • Assist teams to address exegetical issues in a specific text (e.g. OT quotes in NT; synoptic parallels; metaphors and other key terms) in a way consistent with the translation brief

Hermeneutics Components

• Is able to work respectfully with teams to increase mutual understanding of theological and hermeneutical issues relevant to translation in their context.
  • Demonstrate awareness of important hermeneutical concepts (such as context, assumptions, tradition, and interpreting community) and their relevance for exegesis and translation.
  • Demonstrate awareness of the history of Biblical interpretation and of the history of the church (and its doctrines), especially where these intersect with hermeneutics and Bible translation.
  • Demonstrate awareness of how exegetical and translation-related issues are influenced by different theological, social and cultural assumptions of different interpreters and within different communities of faith.
  • Critically evaluate one’s own and other people’s hermeneutical positions related to Bible exegesis and translation, based on hermeneutical principles.
  • Identify and describe hermeneutical issues in a translated text.
  • Discuss sensitive theological and hermeneutical issues with humility and integrity, recognising the validity of a variety of perspectives.
  • Advise teams regarding translation options that respect the theological and hermeneutical perspectives of stakeholders, as outlined in the translation brief.

Communication Components

• Can apply insights from theories of communication to help teams improve their translation.
  • Explain the difference between various models of communication (including ‘code’ and inferential models) and their potential impact on translation practices.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with various functions of language (eg. giving information, questioning, directing, expressing feeling, building relationships) and how they may be expressed in various forms
  • Demonstrate familiarity with situational factors (such as participants, context, style and medium) that have an impact on communication
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the role of culture and worldview in shaping meaning
  • Identify potential miscommunication issues in a translated text in light of the intended audiences and their contexts and worldviews
  • Assist teams to evaluate and address potential miscommunication in their translation

Discourse Components

• Can apply knowledge of discourse structures and functions to help teams improve their translation.
  • Explain key concepts of discourse analysis, and their relevance to Bible translation (eg. genre, discourse structure, foregrounding, backgrounding, participant reference, relations between clauses…)
  • Identify mismatches in discourse structure and function between the source texts and similar receptor language texts, and possible implications for translation.
  • Assist teams to evaluate and address discourse-level issues in their translation.

Language Structure Components

• Can apply understanding of different language structures to help teams improve their translation.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of language typology and the variety that exists in grammatical structures and functions
  • Identify mismatches in grammatical structures and functions between the biblical, source and receptor languages
  • Assist translation teams to address mismatches between grammatical structures and functions in the biblical, source and receptor languages

Sociolinguistics Components

• Can apply knowledge of sociolinguistics to help teams ensure alignment of their translation with their translation brief.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the basic concepts of sociolinguistics (language use and attitude, multilingualism, diglossia) and their relevance for the translation and use of Scripture.
  • Give appropriate guidance to teams in developing and following a translation brief that aligns with the sociolinguistic profile of the receptor audience.
  • Give appropriate guidance for the translation and use of Scripture in different sociolinguistic contexts (eg. multilingual, urban, rural and migrant communities).

Modes of Communication Components

• Can apply knowledge of various modes of communication and relevant media to help teams improve their translations.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with the differences between various modes of communication (oral, written, sign language, braille, drama, etc.) and how they interact together.
  • Model a positive attitude towards the use of various media forms, and advocate for a multimodal approach to translation whenever this is appropriate.

Translation Principles Components

• Can apply knowledge of translation theories and principles to help teams produce quality translations.
  • Demonstrate a good understanding of translation principles (e.g. clear, accurate, natural, acceptable) and their application
  • Demonstrate familiarity with various mismatches in form and meaning between source text and receptor language that need to be considered in the process of translation.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with key insights from various theoretical approaches to translation (eg. dynamic / functional equivalence, skopos theory, relevance theory, literary translation…), and their implications for Bible translation.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of several factors that influence quality in translation (such as following translation principles, community participation, checking processes, use of a translation brief…), and help translation teams grow in awareness of how these factors impact their work.

Translation Styles Components

• Is able to support the goals of the translation by giving guidance on issues of translation style, register, modality and paratextual materials.
  • Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of different translation styles appropriate for different audiences and of the sociolinguistic factors that play a role in regard to making decisions related to translation style.
  • Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the different modalities of translation (written, oral, sign) and the various contexts in which these modalities are most appropriate.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of performance upon the meaning of the text/audio/sign.
  • Help the translation team to think through possible issues and choices of appropriate translation solutions including the adaptation of written text to audio and vice-versa.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the use of paratextual materials (e.g. footnotes, pictures, headings, introduction) and their impact upon the meaning of Scripture (e.g. written, audio) and their impact upon people’s engagement with Scripture (e.g. written, audio).
  • Assess the impact of paratextual materials and advise the teams on making appropriate decisions about paratextual material.

Translation Practice Components

• Is able to serve translation teams by helping them identify, evaluate, and find solutions to potential problems in the translation.
  • Demonstrate experiential knowledge of working with the complexities that a significantly different language may have on the translation process.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with a wide range of translation problems and possible alternative solutions (related to participant reference, foreign concepts, metaphors, rhetorical questions, lexical choices, culture and worldview interference, implicit information, key terms etc.)
  • Help translation teams to identify possible translation problems, evaluate their significance, and explore solutions to these problems.

Translation Resources Components

• Is able to support translation teams in their use of relevant translation resources.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with specialist software tools and technology for translating and checking Scripture
  • Help teams grow in their understanding and use of translation software
  • Demonstrate familiarity with translation communities of practice and help teams connect with them
  • Demonstrate familiarity with relevant resources for translation and assist teams in their use

Guiding Translation Teams Components

• Is able to help the teams carry out all stages of the translation process and fulfil their roles with increasing confidence.
  • Explain the various roles and responsibilities involved in the translation process, encouraging growth as individuals and as a team.
  • Guide and assist translation teams in drafting Scripture (including exegesis, internalization, drafting, oral drafting), and quality assessment of the draft in relation to the source text and project goals.
  • Mentor teams in conducting community checks (including issues of naturalness and acceptability) with speakers of the receptor language.
  • Train the translation team in how to elicit or produce back translations and then verify them (when back translations are part of the process specified in the translation brief).
  • Provide teams with clear, concise, relevant notes that give constructive feedback on their translation
  • Work with teams (and representatives of the language community) to evaluate and affirm the accuracy, clarity, naturalness, and acceptability of their translation
  • Guide teams through a consulting session, including preparation and follow-up.
  • Organize a process of discovery and dialogue that will help analyze expressed needs/problems.
  • Listen to teams and provide constructive feedback, managing the tension between interpersonal dynamics and session goals.

Partnering Well Components

• Is able to provide guidance regarding the intended purpose of the translation, prioritizing ownership by local expressions of the church and other stakeholders in the language community.
  • Work with stakeholders and translation teams to develop, maintain or update a helpful, practical and missiologically-grounded translation brief.
  • Advise translation teams in a way that is consistent with the translation brief developed by the team and their community.
  • Promote overall ownership of the translation project by the translation team and other local stakeholders.