Counting on oral Bible translation: Preserving language and culture through numbers

Abstract

Bible translation into indigenous languages has a wider social impact beyond its religious significance for Christian
communities. This article discusses how traditional written Bible translation projects can impact the social situation of their contexts in terms of literacy and education and the preservation of cultural identity. In some instances, Bible translation endeavours to even work toward preserving languages themselves. Oral Bible translation will be considered a viable methodology for Bible translation that can have a wide social impact beyond its religious significance. Indeed, in predominantly oral contexts, oral Bible translation can empower communities in ways that traditional written Bible translations cannot. Oral Bible translation will be shown to empower communities, by preserving cultural identity through the presentation of examples from a Mozambican oral Bible translation project that preserves knowledge of the traditional numbering system of the indigenous language in its translation. By demonstrating how oral Bible translation can contribute to language preservation and community empowerment,
this article also offers valuable insights for stakeholders engaged in language planning and minority language advocacy.