Students in the Apostolic Literature Translation certificate program will use their language skills to launch a valuable and fulfilling ministry of making apostolic materials available in other languages. This program welcomes adult learners with excellent writing skills and fluency in English plus either French or Spanish. Interactive class sessions allow students to internalize translation knowledge, apply best practices, work through translation challenges, receive feedback, and develop their translation competency. Students implement the skills they acquire in translation methodology, tools, revision, terminology, and project management in the practicum that runs throughout the program. A team approach is presented, which leverages specific language strengths of participants in a collaborative effort to achieve high-quality translations. Upon receiving their certificate, students will possess the knowledge and skills to oversee apostolic literature translation projects in their local ministry context.
Program Learning Objectives
1. Understand the unique challenges of apostolic literature translation.
2. Apply translation methodology and best practices.
3. Identify suitable translation tools for various projects.
4. Create a style guide and glossary to ensure consistent terminology.
5. Evaluate translation quality and implement revisions.
6. Execute a collaborative translation project.
Cost
$1000 + books + fees
Religious Translation: History and Guiding Principles
Fall Term
This course traces the fascinating history of the development of translation as a missionary
endeavour, and highlights its impact on apostolic evangelism beginning in the 20th century.
Guiding principles for apostolic literature translation are presented in relation to: Bible
versions, scripture quotations, doctrinal accuracy, biblical expressions, and respect of
author styles.
Translation Methodology and Best Practices
Winter Term
In this course, a simple but effective method of apostolic literature translation is
introduced, within a team approach that incorporates bilingual revision and stylistic
revision. There is an emphasis on best practices centred around three aspects of
translation quality: fidelity, readability and conformity.
*Prerequisite: Religious Translation: History and Guiding Principles
Translation Tools and Software
Spring Term
This course presents tools for computer-assisted translation, such as dictionaries,
thesauruses, bilingual concordancers, spelling/grammar correctors, and translation
memories. The focus is on choosing suitable tools for specific translation projects and
respecting a protocol for AI use in apostolic literature translation.
*Prerequisite: Translation Methodology and Best Practices
Translation Quality Assessment and Revision
Spring Term
In this course, an assessment model is presented for evaluating translation quality based
on fidelity, readability and conformity. Procedures of bilingual revision and stylistic revision
are examined, with emphasis on the importance of thorough proofreading before
publication of apostolic literature translations.
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*Prerequisite: Translation Tools and Software
Translation Style Guides and Glossaries
Summer Term
This course introduces the process for creating a style guide for an apostolic literature
translation team, to ensure adherence to language standards and coherence in
presentation of materials. In addition, it provides direction for preparation of general and
project-specific glossaries to maintain consistent terminology.
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*Prerequisite: Translation Tools and Software
Practicum
Full Program
During this practicum that runs throughout the five courses in the Certificate in Apostolic
Literature Translation, each student will oversee and participate in a team translation of an
apostolic literature resource containing approximately 5,000 words, not including scripture
quotations. The practicum will include five phases with interim submissions due at the end
of each course:
1) Project plan including commitments from revisers;
2) Source document with insertion of scripture quotations and biblical expressions in the target language;
3) Translation done by the student with assistance of translation tools and software, but without AI or automatic translation tools;
4) Translation after intervention of bilingual reviser, then after intervention of stylistic reviser;
5) Style guide and glossary, and final translation.
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*Prerequisite: Translation Style Guides and Glossaries