Translations and interpretations of baptizontes (Mt 28:19–20) in some Ghanaian mother tongue translations of the Bible
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Authors
Kuwornu- Adjaottor, Jonathan E.T.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
OpenJournals Publishing
Abstract
Scholars have written on Jesus’ command to make disciples, but little work has been done on
the translation of baptizontes. Using the mother-tongue biblical hermeneutics approach, this
article analyses the translation of baptizontes in 12 Ghanaian mother tongue Bibles. The findings
are that the various Ghanaian mother tongue translations of Matthew 28:19 render baptizontes
variedly, to suit the indigenous Bible readers. Translators sometimes use religiocultural words
and phrases that express a similar idea in their contexts to translate the word. Thus, Bible
translation always involves interpretation. Translators sometimes coin their own words or
consult mother tongue speakers for information in order to render words and phrases that are
difficult to translate. This article has added an African (Ghanaian) interpretation of baptizontes
in Matthew 28:19. This fits into the overall aim of the journal to promote African theology.
CONTRIBUTION : This article makes a contribution to the Special Collection ‘Africa Platform for
NT Scholars’ on the Ghanaian (African) interpretations of baptizontes in Matthew 28:19–20.
Description
This research is part of the
research project ‘Africa
Platform for NT Scholars’,
directed by Prof. Dr Ernest
van Eck, Department of
New Testament Studies and
Related Literature, Faculty
of Theology and Religion,
University of Pretoria.
Special Collection: Africa Platform for NT Scholars, sub-edited by Ernest van Eck (University of Pretoria).
This definition should not be taken without criticism because in some countries such a Kenya, India and various East Asian countries, ‘mother tongue’ refers to ‘mother language’ or ‘native language’ and is used to indicate the language of one’s ethnic group, in both common and journalistic parlance, rather than the first language. Also in Singapore, ‘mother tongue’ refers to the English language that was established on the island through British colonisation, which is the lingua franca for most post-independence Singaporeans because of its use as the language of instruction in government schools as a working language.
The author acknowledges the following people: Paul Ekanwala Daboro, Samuel Sam, Solomon Dansieh, Samuel Zuul Bayeti, Paul Abdulai and Frederick Mawusi Amevenku.
J.E.T.K.-A. is the sole author of this article.
Special Collection: Africa Platform for NT Scholars, sub-edited by Ernest van Eck (University of Pretoria).
This definition should not be taken without criticism because in some countries such a Kenya, India and various East Asian countries, ‘mother tongue’ refers to ‘mother language’ or ‘native language’ and is used to indicate the language of one’s ethnic group, in both common and journalistic parlance, rather than the first language. Also in Singapore, ‘mother tongue’ refers to the English language that was established on the island through British colonisation, which is the lingua franca for most post-independence Singaporeans because of its use as the language of instruction in government schools as a working language.
The author acknowledges the following people: Paul Ekanwala Daboro, Samuel Sam, Solomon Dansieh, Samuel Zuul Bayeti, Paul Abdulai and Frederick Mawusi Amevenku.
J.E.T.K.-A. is the sole author of this article.
Keywords
Bible, Translation, Interpretation, Ghana, Africa, Matthew 28:19–20
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Kuwornu-Adjaottor,
J.E.T., 2021, ‘Translations
and interpretations of
baptizontes (Mt 28:19–20)
in some Ghanaian mother
tongue translations of the
Bible’, HTS Teologiese
Studies/Theological Studies
77(1), a6859. https://DOI.
org/ 10.4102/hts.v77i1.6859