The rationale for communicating orally
the Scriptures
There are more than 1900 languages in the world in which no meaningful sentence of Scripture has been translated. Given the difficulties of travel to the areas where the people live who speak those languages, it is likely that any translations will be accomplished by native speakers of those languages.
We should consider ourselves very privileged to live in such a time as this. God has given our generation gifts that no other generation has known in the combination that we have:
- A widening expertise for exegeting the Scriptures.
- A widening permission for translators that they may communicate the Scriptures meaningfully.
- A widening recognition that majority of every language group in the world will never respond
to the Scriptures through reading. - A widening access and use of hand-held audio devices all over the world.
- A widening access to the internet.
- An availability of economically feasible equipment for recording and editing audio files.
- A widening knowledge of how humans communicate and of how individuals convince others of new ideas.
In the distant past, men wrote God's message on scrolls of parchment, then on scrolls of papyrus.
The codex way of assembling pages was a fantastic invention, allowing a user much easier access to any specific text.
After centuries, moveable type and improved papers allowed faster and more economic production of books.
Later, typewriters facilitated the work.
In our time, the first computers came into being, rapidly growing in utility and ease of use. They rapidly declined in cost.
Next came the internet,
and then digital display on mobile devices.
All these inventions built themselves on earlier inventions. Of course, the use of each of those inventions developed its own traditions. The problem for us communicators is that traditions tend to obscure the message instead of enliven it.
Now in our times, there are many developments in the reproduction of sounds and thus the possibility of humans communicating with other humans by means of speech has flourished. I am suggesting that it is now time to begin A RADICAL NEW EPOCH in Bible translation—the epoch of ORAL COMMUNICATION of God’s message. I do not use the word “radical” lightly. We all should recognize that our helping oral learners to respond to God’s invitation will require a radical approach and new thinking for us literates.
Oral communication of God’s message is radical. It is radical BECAUSE SPEAKERS OF THE LANGUAGE CAN DO THE TASK with guided assistance.
An oral translator of the Bible has the task of presenting the Christian world view to an audience that is generally resistant to change. It is sometimes hostile or at best indifferent. Thus, an oral presentation is likely to be the only message that might affect a change of worldview. I suggest that oral translation is accomplished best by native speakers communicating in native oral styles. I am suggesting that THEY BEGIN WITH ORAL TRANSLATION, developing the message by focused and graduated sets until they complete the New Testament. Whenever there is an viable alphabet, they might transcribe and print.
Oral communication of God’s message is radical BECAUSE THE MODE OF COMMUNICATION MATCHES BETTER THE MODE OF LEARNING. The people are more likely to accept it as valid.
It is very important to properly translate God’s message, but it is more important that the message be accepted as valid. Every human has his or her personal worldview to which he or she relates in the whole gamut of life-experiences. Every human resists changing that worldview and will change it only when a credible and more advantageous view is offered. By the messengers communicating orally, they are facilitating the message reaching any given people more early than any print oriented method. More importantly, an oral message penetrates more deeply.
All EFFECTIVE communication is between one human to another. In video media, commercials are designed with living persons to convince the viewers that they need the product. In audio media, much effort should be placed in creating natural human-ness. We guide translation teams in producing audios in which the speaker is a fellow human, with the listeners. The sounds of the listeners’ own language imply to them legitimacy for the message. Legitimacy of the message facilitates the listeners’ decision-making faculties, especially in regard to their worldviews.
An audio version of Scripture has two special qualities that make it effective:
- it is very natural in its style and vocabulary; and
- the listeners are learning in their natural, accustomed mode of learning.
An audio message communicates in the normal learning styles of the listener. It requires minimum conscious mental processing on their part, whereas reading requires several mental processes.
It is important that communicators recognize that EVERYONE in the world learns by means of what they hear. Not only that, but most people PREFER to learn by listening. Most people are also visual learners.
A small portion of people, in some societies, have learned enough about symbols to recognize signs, not as communicating messages, but geographical guides for travel (similar to the large rock or a broken tree). They learn to recognize the labels on manufactured products, largely by the prominent color of the label. They learn to recognize numbers and thus understand the prices on placards.
A much smaller group in a society advance enough to own a cellphone and thus they learn to press the proper sequence of buttons to be able to talk to people. However, those people never read a book, a magazine or even a comic book. They understand icons well, but they cannot read full sentences.
A very small percentage might actually know how to read, to read and write letters. Even in the so-called literate societies, perhaps only 5% of any language group enjoys reading. They use books, computers, newspapers and magazines as sources of information. Even the most sophisticated readers learn from hearing and seeing.
Oral learners who have no desire to read
Should not we attempt to accommodate the mode of communication to the largest part of every people? Should we not give them messages that they hear. When we present the Scriptures in an audio media, we are communicating in the familiar style of learning of the majority.
Oral learners who read only street-signs, labels or might use cellphones
Some people in a language group venture out of their comfort zone to interact with people of other cultures. Some immigrate to cities where they must orient themselves to the cultural patterns of others, such as knowing the street where they live or where they might beg or work. Mostly, they learn to recognize labels on manufactured products by the major color of the labels. Some of them advance economically, even to the point of owning a cell-phone or a television. All those people continue to learn through hearing messages and seeing visuals. They never read a newspaper or even a legal document.
Oral learners who haltingly read the Scriptures and songs in a hymnal
A few will learn to read hesitantly, sounding out the words. Their focus is on the process of recognizing the shapes of the letters. Reading is hard work. Learning is minimal. However, they learn to find the right hymn by the number but they sing the hymns largely from memory, rather than from recognizing the words.
Oral learners who enjoy reading and who learn from reading
When we communicate the Scriptures in print media, we must recognize that we are communicating to only a very small minority of the receptor group, although they are usually the powerful among that group. Even in those groups where there is a strong church, the printed Scriptures will be utilized only by a few—the pastors and lay-workers. Yes, it is legitimate that we develop ways to teach people to read, so that the minority increases. We must use every device possible. It is urgent that we reach beyond the few.
Oral communication is radical also because the listeners are comfortable in their normal mode of learning
One hundred percent of the world’s population (hearing-impaired persons excepted) learns for what from what they hear, often from many sources. Within even the most literate societies, perhaps only 5% desire to learn through reading. The majority prefer to hear and see. Even those who know how to read respond more deeply to messages that they hear and see. The key factor for a person accepting of a new concept or idea is the credible source.
If we want to reach the present generation with a credible message, we must present it in a mode in which they are comfortable and with voices that the listeners trust.
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