Ernst R. Wendland

Life-style Translating: a Workbook for Bible Translators, Second Edition Ernst R. Wendland Second edition

This workbook is intended to introduce translators, exegetes, Bible students, and communicators of the Scriptures to some of the main forms and functions of biblical literature, prose as well as poetry, so that they may better understand the original text and convey it in a correspondingly "literary"?artistic, poetic, rhetorical?manner in their mother tongue or another target language. LiFE-Style Translating has been prepared as a practical supplement to Translating the Literature of Scripture (Wendland 2004. ISBN: 9781556711527) expounding a literary-rhetorical approach to Bible translation (literary functional equivalence or LiFE). Most of the important literary types, or genres, found in the corpus of the Scriptures are described, illustrated, and applied in translation exercises.

This Second Edition includes several major additions which considerably broaden the range of the issues covered and also exposes students and instructors alike to some additional perspectives. This text can also be used to introduce theological students and exegetes in general to the prominent literary character of the Word of God. This vital dimension of the Scriptures is often ignored in exegetical textbooks and courses alike, so this workbook might well serve to fill a gap in the field of biblical studies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction to this Revised (Second) Edition
Preface

Lesson 1: Communicating within Diverse Sociolinguistic Frames

What is communication?
What is sociolinguistics?
What is semiotics?
Communication participants and their characteristics
Sociolinguistic variables that influence communication
Different situational frames of communication

Lesson 2: Does Scripture Include Literature?

What is literature?
What is orature and how does it differ from literature?
Kinds of literary forms in the Bible
What are some of the primary functions of biblical literature?

Lesson 3: Translating for LiFE: A Literary Functional-Equivalence Version

A relevant functional-equivalence approach to Bible translating
Defining translation more precisely
Defining a literary functional-equivalence translation
LiFE translation in relation to other approaches
Preparing for a poetic LiFE translation
A ten-step exegetical methodology
A case study
From analysis to synthesis in translation

Lesson 4: Text Types and Genres: Prose and Poetry in the Bible

The importance of the concept of genre to Bible translators
Four primary text types
Some additional features of discourse types
What is the difference between prose and poetry?
Investigating the prose and poetry of the target language

Lesson 5: Analyzing and Translating Biblical Poetry

The major stylistic forms of biblical poetry
The major functions of biblical poetry
Genres of poetry found in the Scriptures
Practicing a methodology for literary-poetic text analysis

Lesson 6: Analyzing and Translating Biblical Prose

Reviewing the four major discourse types
Identifying and analyzing Old Testament prose genres
Identifying and analyzing New Testament prose genres

Lesson 7: Contextualizing and Testing a LiFE Translation

Contextualizing a LiFE translation
Testing a LiFE translation

Lesson 8: A Summary and Review of LiFE Principles

References