Various models have been used to undertake Bible translation over the years. The traditional model of one missionary translator initiating and sustaining one “life long” project is giving way to the cluster approach. A Bible translation project that serves more than one language is often called a “cluster”. Some clusters consist of related languages (linguistic clusters); some consist of geographically close languages (operational clusters) where it is convenient to work together.

In 1986 when translation of the New Testament in the Buem language (Lelemi) in the Volta region was ongoing, other neighboring language communities: Likpe- (Sekpele), Santrokofi– (Selee), Akpafu/Lolobi– Siwu, Nkonya, and Bowuri-Tuwuli also expressed a desire through a requested to GILLBT for assistance to have their languages developed and written.

GILLBT commissioned a feasibility study led by Dr. Andy Ring, the then project leader of the Lelemi New Testament translation on the options for language development in these communities. The study led to follow up discussions with the traditional leaders in the communities with the outcome that each of the language groups was requested to nominate two literates in English and the native languages to be trained in language development. A four-week alphabet development seminar for these language workers culminated in the development of primer booklets based on the new alphabets with short stories.

GILLBT then considered a model approach of bringing four of these language groups located in the Central Volta Region (Sekpele, Selee, Siwu, Tuwuli) together into a Multi-Translation (Cluster), because these languages are similar in various aspects and are also nearby each other. Between 2000 and 2008, this Cluster project completed four New Testaments, significantly reducing the duration and operational cost of translation while maintaining high quality New Testament Scriptures which are extensively being used by the target communities and churches in the Volta region of Ghana.

Cluster Language Development

Initial training for the translators, writers, editors and literacy facilitators were in the form of linguistics workshops (orthography, phonology, morphology and grammar) as well as training in translation principles were held for participants selected from the different towns in each of these language groups to enable the participants become more aware of the structure of their languages as well as acquire skills in translation. After further work, orthographies and writing guides for the languages were launched and language editorial committees and reviewers were formed.

In order to ensure community ownership of the projects, management committees for each of the languages were formed. These committees were primarily responsible for mobilization their community members and available local resources for carrying out language programs in their localities.

The primers developed at the workshops were revised, and advance primers and literacy books such as folktales, proverbs, and functional literature materials were also produced.

The literacy class phase of the project began with training of teachers and recruiting students and starting literacy classes in these four language groups simultaneously. Management of the projects was decentralized with two full time staff and a central coordinator overseeing these projects.

Cluster Translation and Checking

The principal motivation of most language groups to have their languages developed is to ultimately have the Scriptures in their local languages.

Dr. Andy Ring trains the team

The advent of computers has made it possible to generate an initial draft from a related language which has already been translated and approved with a program called CARLA (Computer Assisted Related Language Adaptation). In the Volta Cluster, the Lelemi New Testament was used to generate the base text. This text however still needs a lot of work by following standard best practices for Bible translation to ensure that the translation is of the best quality.

Summary of the translation procedures in the Cluster included the following: Drafting from the base text was followed by an internal Team Check which helps team members catch any obvious mistakes – such as omissions, typing errors, misinterpretations or clumsy constructions. Community Testing is done by reading to family, church groups and community members for ease of understanding. The manuscript then goes local reviewers, such as a board of pastors and church leaders for Reviewer Input.

First Exegetical checking is done by a consultant-in-training who listens to a verbal back-translation of each passage.  In a multi-team setting, each team in turn gives their rendering while all listen.  Back Translation is then prepared when the text is ready for the final consultant check. Final Exegetical Check is carried out for multiple languages by a single consultant when the texts are of good quality.  A consultant gives feedback and publication approval

Final Testing and Review is carried out at the request of the consultant in order to clear up any questions about style, appropriate word choice and cultural relevance.

A Trial or Limited Edition may be produced once the final adjustments are inserted.  This may then be distributed for community use.

Dedication of New Testaments

In Ghana’s Volta Cluster, the translators worked in parallel with coordinated drafting, checking and publication schedules.  The Mark Gospel was the first book to be translated and published by the four languages by the end of year 2000. This was followed by the book of Romans, The 5 Ts (1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, and Titus). The New Testament was completed for the four language groups and were typeset and published in 2008. Four Bible dedication ceremonies were held in the various language communities during the Easter period of 2009.

Other Language Development Activities

In order to make women in these project areas economically dependable, develop their potentials for integral development and also increase their enrolment in literacy, the idea of female classes where only women are the facilitators was promulgated. This enables the women to participate in literacy classes while improving their income generation skills through development of cottage industries as well as provide a forum to discuss pertinent issues pertaining to their empowerment.

Local song composition

The Multi-project also recognized the need for preservation and use of the traditional music styles, rhythms and traditional musical instruments in these communities and churches as an integral aspect of language development. Local song composers in the language area were invited for workshops and experts in ethnomusicology and techniques in traditional song composition were discussed and local songs using the traditional rhythms were recorded on cassettes. Other recordings of folktales, drama and scriptural portions in these language groups have also been done.

Lessons from Ghana’s Volta Cluster Approach to Language Development

Working together as one multi-language translation team apart from it being very effective and efficient also provides a lot of fun for all those involved- translators and consultants.

Fellowship and mentoring: Multi-checking sessions usually begin with half and our devotion and prayers daily during the two to three week per quarterly meetings and so it becomes a community of believers who mutually encourage and disciple each other when they come together during the period. By teaching and training each other, local leaders were developed who gained expertise over time, serving their fellow translators in the present project and others in the future. The activities of the project also help to foster unity and cooperation among church leaders from various denominations

Sharing of Ideas: Every translator contributes to the team; no one needed be an expert in everything (linguistics, translation theory, exegesis, computing, literacy). As translators from one language group explains how concepts are handled in their languages during checking sessions, the discussions improved their translations by comparing them, checking each other’s translations, and sharing ideas-even between unrelated languages. They learn more about their own languages by comparing theirs to their coworkers’, which result in better translations.

Efficient Use of Translation Consultants: By having consultants who can check all the translations simultaneously in related-language-cluster, it frees up other consultants for other projects. In the VRPM, most of the consultants expressed how exiting an experience it was for them to do cluster checking and have commented how it has tremendously broadened their horizon and improves their skills in checking

Economy of overall cost: Cluster strategies focus on shared resourcing of facilities and supervision. It also ensured the costs of accommodation, feeding and transportation fit the culture of the local participants and appropriate to the local situation. Training were carried out in a group setting. Volunteerism was also fostered at every level. This resulted in minimal operating cost of translating the New Testament and completing within a relatively short time while maintaining quality of the translation work.