The beautiful duty
In reflecting upon the Conference on the State of Bible Translation and the Grand Finale Celebration of GILLBT@50, I am reminded of a speech by Pope Benedict XVI given on March 7, 2009 to the Roman Curia. It began as follows: “To say ‘thank you’ is one of the Pope’s most beautiful duties.” Photo of dignitaries who attended the GILLBT@50 Grand Finale Celebration including in the centre Honorable Amoanor Kwao who represented the Vice President. The first time I read the speech, I was surprised by the juxtaposition of the two words “Beautiful” and “Duty”. But the more time...
Read MoreDo We Need our Mother Tongues?
In the context of a growing middle class that increasingly aspires to speak English, do we really need to develop and use our Mother Tongues in national life?
Read MoreTribute to GILLBT founder Dr. John Bendor-Samuel
Odupon Atutu (A mighty Tree is Fallen), an Akan/Ashanti phrase announcing the death of kings, nobility and the great–was the only phrase I could think of after the phone conversation the evening of January 6 in which I was informed of the death of GILLBT Founder Dr John Bendor-Samuel. In reflecting upon his life, and an appropriate tribute to him, this phrase provides the most relevant conceptual foundation upon which to do so. This is because, first,JBS devoted his academic training—an MA in History from Oxford University and a Phd in Linguistics from London University—to the...
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