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Chapter 1. Translating in the Pacific

Rendering the Christian Bible in the islanders’ tongues
  • Joseph P. Hong
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A World Atlas of Translation
This chapter is in the book A World Atlas of Translation

Abstract

This report covers Oceania, including the Polynesian Triangle but excluding Australia and PNG. Oral tradition still dominates local speech communities. The report reviews how “translation” is expressed by a dozen major languages, then traces early contacts between islanders and western explorers when communication was needed. Translation involving Christian literature started in earnest when the first missionaries arrived at the turn of the 19th century. The Bible was rendered into sixteen languages during the first hundred years and during the second, into ten others. Translators have faced lexical challenges because many biblical terms have no equivalents in Pacific languages. Translation activities slowed down in early 20th century due to the World Wars, and in recent decades, due to little need of proselytism because Pacific islanders have been converted to Christianity and are conversant in English or French. Bible translation still continues because islanders prefer reading the book of their faith in their own language, and is carried out by native speakers according to current policy.

Abstract

This report covers Oceania, including the Polynesian Triangle but excluding Australia and PNG. Oral tradition still dominates local speech communities. The report reviews how “translation” is expressed by a dozen major languages, then traces early contacts between islanders and western explorers when communication was needed. Translation involving Christian literature started in earnest when the first missionaries arrived at the turn of the 19th century. The Bible was rendered into sixteen languages during the first hundred years and during the second, into ten others. Translators have faced lexical challenges because many biblical terms have no equivalents in Pacific languages. Translation activities slowed down in early 20th century due to the World Wars, and in recent decades, due to little need of proselytism because Pacific islanders have been converted to Christianity and are conversant in English or French. Bible translation still continues because islanders prefer reading the book of their faith in their own language, and is carried out by native speakers according to current policy.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface 1
  4. Chapter 1. Translating in the Pacific 13
  5. Chapter 2. Recent tradition in Australia 39
  6. Chapter 3. Japanese conceptualizations of ‘translation’ 55
  7. Chapter 4. Contemporary views of translation in China 81
  8. Chapter 5. From plagiarism to incense sticks 105
  9. Chapter 6. More or less “translation” 125
  10. Chapter 7. The Persian tradition 149
  11. Chapter 8. The notion of translation in the Arab world 169
  12. Chapter 9. Traditions of translation in Hebrew culture 193
  13. Chapter 10. Altaic tradition 215
  14. Chapter 11. Translation tradition throughout South African history 243
  15. Chapter 12. Translation traditions in Angola 271
  16. Chapter 13. The culture(s) of translation in Russia 287
  17. Chapter 14. The concept of translation in Slavic cultures 309
  18. Chapter 15. The Greek-speaking tradition 323
  19. Chapter 16. Latin/Romance tradition 341
  20. Chapter 17. Germanic tradition 355
  21. Chapter 18. Hispanic South America 375
  22. Chapter 19. The history of translation in Brazil through the centuries 395
  23. Chapter 20. Translation in Central America and Mexico 419
  24. Chapter 21. Translation and North America 443
  25. Postface 465
  26. Bio-notes 471
  27. Index of languages, people, toponyms 481
  28. Name index 485
  29. Subject index 491
https://doi.org/10.1075/btl.145.01hon

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface 1
  4. Chapter 1. Translating in the Pacific 13
  5. Chapter 2. Recent tradition in Australia 39
  6. Chapter 3. Japanese conceptualizations of ‘translation’ 55
  7. Chapter 4. Contemporary views of translation in China 81
  8. Chapter 5. From plagiarism to incense sticks 105
  9. Chapter 6. More or less “translation” 125
  10. Chapter 7. The Persian tradition 149
  11. Chapter 8. The notion of translation in the Arab world 169
  12. Chapter 9. Traditions of translation in Hebrew culture 193
  13. Chapter 10. Altaic tradition 215
  14. Chapter 11. Translation tradition throughout South African history 243
  15. Chapter 12. Translation traditions in Angola 271
  16. Chapter 13. The culture(s) of translation in Russia 287
  17. Chapter 14. The concept of translation in Slavic cultures 309
  18. Chapter 15. The Greek-speaking tradition 323
  19. Chapter 16. Latin/Romance tradition 341
  20. Chapter 17. Germanic tradition 355
  21. Chapter 18. Hispanic South America 375
  22. Chapter 19. The history of translation in Brazil through the centuries 395
  23. Chapter 20. Translation in Central America and Mexico 419
  24. Chapter 21. Translation and North America 443
  25. Postface 465
  26. Bio-notes 471
  27. Index of languages, people, toponyms 481
  28. Name index 485
  29. Subject index 491
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