The Kreol Seselwa Old Testament translation team
[photo: UBS/Krijn van der Jagt WR413/12 SEY06DJ-10]
SEYCHELLES – When the Kreol Seselwa New Testament was published in 2000, the small Bible Society team in Seychelles were unsure how popular it would be. Although Kreol is the mother tongue of most people, the majority are also fluent in French and English and had always used Bibles in these two languages.
The Society need not have worried – within two months of its publication, all 7,000 copies had been sold, and there was a flood of requests for more. A further 3,000 copies were printed. Obviously this new translation was meeting a deeply need.
History and identity
“Kreol Seselwa is the language of the Seychellois. They feel the spirit of the language as they speak and hear it,” says Dr Krijn van der Jagt, UBS Translation Consultant, who is overseeing the translation work. “It is also intertwined with the islands’ history and identity because it evolved through the interaction between slaves and their French slave masters and plantation owners. It is the most widely understood and effective language in Seychelles – for instance, it is used in political speeches and advertising in order to appeal to the widest possible audience.
Don’t belittle Kreol languages!
By Krijn van der Jagt, UBS Translation Consultant
Some people are sceptical about translating the Bible into Kreol languages, feeling that they are too limited or that they are not ‘authentic’ languages. Linguists have demonstrated that this is not the case, however, and that they are, in fact, fully fledged languages, used as a central means of communication by many communities across the world.
Kreol languages develop from a main language, such as French, English, Spanish, Portuguese or Dutch. What is particularly interesting is that the human brain processes unfamiliar language in the same way, no matter where in the world you are or what your culture is. So the Kreol language that developed in Seychelles and other Indian Ocean islands when the slaves tried to understand their masters’ French is incredibly similar to the Kreol language spoken in Haiti. There are some differences, but not major ones.
By Krijn van der Jagt, UBS Translation Consultant
Some people are sceptical about translating the Bible into Kreol languages, feeling that they are too limited or that they are not ‘authentic’ languages. Linguists have demonstrated that this is not the case, however, and that they are, in fact, fully fledged languages, used as a central means of communication by many communities across the world.
Kreol languages develop from a main language, such as French, English, Spanish, Portuguese or Dutch. What is particularly interesting is that the human brain processes unfamiliar language in the same way, no matter where in the world you are or what your culture is. So the Kreol language that developed in Seychelles and other Indian Ocean islands when the slaves tried to understand their masters’ French is incredibly similar to the Kreol language spoken in Haiti. There are some differences, but not major ones.
Enormous task
“When it was decided to translate the Bible into Kreol Seselwa, an enormous task lay ahead. Translating the Bible requires in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures, which are complex texts, and so well-trained translators from different church backgrounds were needed. A team was put together from different churches and, although there have been difficulties in the past, they are now working very effectively. “Also, the Kreol Seselwa language itself was a challenge – it is primarily a spoken language. So the translators needed to develop an appropriate written Kreol Seselwa. To do this they sought, and continue to seek, the help and input of many different Seychellois, including poets and writers. “Although it is a Frenchbased Kreol, and it may have been relatively easy and quick to do an adaptation from French, that kind of translation would not contain the spirit of the language. This translation project aims to let the Scriptures speak to the heart and mind of the people of Seychelles.”
Slow progress
Work continues on the translation of the Old Testament, which is due for completion in 2013. Progress has been slow, due to challenges faced by the translation team. Until recently all the translators were paid by their respective churches and could only work part time due to church commitments. For instance, the former coordinator of the project, Christine Benoit, worked as a deacon in the Anglican Church – a job that demanded the majority of her time. When she was ordained last year as an Anglican priest (see following story) it became impossible for her to continue work on the translation. Now a full-time translator has been appointed – James Sabadin – who is also serving as the project’s new coordinator. About 80 per cent of the first draft is now complete, and there are plans to publish trial editions of Jonah and Ruth later this year, depending on funding. This report refers to project 89700.
(WR 413/12-07.07) [3 photos]