We tend to assume that if a person speaks a language as their mother tongue they will want to read in that language. Not true. Often people read and write in one language but speak another in preference. The language they are literate in is often the lingua franca of the country or region. Also some churches operate mainly in that lingua franca. People's heart language may be different, however. This means having different products in the various languages and using audio or video as appropriate. The print Bible isn't necessary in all these local languages.
Many of you will have heard of asset-based community development (ABCD). How can Bible translation programmes be asset based, rather than deficit based? The best way to look at this is a comparison table: Deficit based Asset based Driven by outsiders Driven by the community Outside funding Community funded Done to meet a need Done to help the community grow Quality control done by a consultant Community checked and approved Control from outside-in Lead by stepping back Products not accepted? Products are accepted Little engagement Engagement with products Scientific Organic Not sustainable Sustainable Of course many translation programmes these days are neither one nor t'other, they are somewhere between these two extremes. Nevertheless, this illustrates a point, and shows that the current
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