Bible translation has always been an area of discussion (and often heated debate) from the time of St. Jerome to the present day. It has been the focus of interest of scholars from a variety of approaches within the growing discipline of Translation Studies and has been instrumental in giving rise to more modern approaches to the discipline (cf. Nida’s notion of dynamic equivalence).

This one-day conference will examine the notion of orality in relation to written Bible translation. The theme will be explored both synchronically (rendering the spoken from written texts is a vital aspect of Bible translation both in written and oral cultures) and diachronically (the impact on the rise of written cultures on oral cultures of transmission of the Bible both within and across languages).

Programme

• 10.30 | Welcome | Frieda Steurs (Head of Department)
• 10.45 | Introductory lecture | 'The Modernity of Bible Translation Research' | Luc van Doorslaer (Lessius)

Morning session (chairman: Paul Gillaerts)

• 11.00 | 'Functions of Orality in the Translation of New Testament and Early ChristianTexts: a skopos-theoretical perspective' | Christiane Nord (Magdeburg-Stendal)

• 11.45 | 'When the Oral became Written. The Revolution of Bible Translation in the Early Reformation Period' | Gergely Juhász (Lessius)

• 12.30 | Lunch

Afternoon session (chairman: Henri Bloemen)

• 14.00 | 'Translating the Hebrew Bible. Perspectives from the Septuagint' | Hans Ausloos (K.U.Leuven)

• 14.45 | 'Reanimating Orality. A new design for Bible translation into oral' cultures' | Jacobus Naudé (Bloemfontein)

• 15.30 | Concluding remarks as initial questions for a round table discussion | Peter Flynn (Lessius)

• 16.30 | Closing reception

Organizers and contact persons

• Peter Flynn | peter.flynn@lessius.eu
• Luc Van Doorslaer | luc.vandoorslaer@lessius.eu