Putting the Spotlight on Pinoy Translation
With so much preparation being poured into the launch of the New Testament: Pinoy Version at the 2018 Manila International Book Fair this September 13, it’s easy to forget that there is another translation project going on behind the scenes here at the Philippine Bible Society (PBS).
The Old Testament: Pinoy Version has gained some momentum in the translation process when a workshop for this version was conducted last April 2-6, 2018 at the PBS Baguio Sanctuary. The objective of the workshop was to choose the translators for the Pinoy Old Testament. The four facilitators who spearheaded the workshop were Bishop Daniel Arichea Jr., Dr. Annie del Corro, Rev. Dr. Edgar Ebojo, and Rev. Dr. Rhoneil Arevalo. They are also the translation consultants of PBS.
In the workshop itself, there were more than twenty participants from different denominations and organizations—Roman Catholic churches, Evangelical churches, independent churches, and more. But by God’s grace, the facilitators of the workshop succeeded in choosing four translators who officially began the project in May. The chosen translators are the following: Ma. Cristhine Ibasco, Pastor Alvin Molito, Pastor Marvin Luci, and Jasmin Crismo.
A Translation exercises and various lectures were given by the facilitators during the five-day workshop. But despite the non-stop action in the realm of translation, it was a peaceful time in the company of people who wanted to make the Word of God known to more people. Aside from having meals together, there was ample time for devotion and meditation right after breakfast.
The aim is to finish the final text of Psalms and Proverbs by December 2019. Let us pray for our translators and the consultants as well as they work hand in hand in producing the Old Testament: Pinoy Version.
The Pinoy Version is aimed at reaching the country’s younger generation, specifically urbanite individuals who fall within the 14 to 30-year-old age range. It is a dynamic equivalent translation that follows the tradition of the Magandang Balita Biblia (MBB) but integrates heterogenous language. English and Tagalog, the two languages that compose Pinoy, can still be separated and distinguished from one another.
Now that the launching of the New Testament: Pinoy Version is drawing nearer and nearer each day, it’s exciting to note that it all started from one simple moment in PBS history. This project’s journey began when a Board member expressed his desire for a simpler version of the latest meaning-based translation that was produced by PBS. That was the precise moment that got the ball rolling. It sparked an idea to translate the Bible into a contemporary language used by the majority. The launch of the New Testament: Pinoy Version will be in September 2018 and the process of translating the Old Testament is in motion. Indeed, exciting times are ahead for the Philippine Bible Society’s Publishing department.
2 Comments
What English translation of scripture is being used to develop the Pinoy translation?
Hi, we are using the original translation of the Bible to translate Pinoy Version. Our translators are using Greek for the New Testament and Hebrew for the Old Testament.
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