Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation

Last updated

The Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation (GILLBT) is an organisation involved in literacy, education and development projects in minority language communities in Ghana, as well as Bible translation work.

Contents

History

GILLBT grew out of work begun by linguists from Wycliffe Bible Translators, who began working with the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana in 1962. In 1980, a new organisation was established to continue the work, the Ghana Institute of Linguistics (GIL). In 1982, its name was changed to the Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation (GILLBT). [1]

Associations

GILLBT has continued its original connection with the University of Ghana, mainly with the Institute of African Studies (IAS), but also with the Institute of Adult Education, the Department of Linguistics, and the Language Centre. Linguistic and anthropological research conducted by GILLBT members is often published by IAS. [2] GILLBT is also a member organisation of the Wycliffe Global Alliance. [1]

Funding

GILLBT is funded from a variety of sources, including individual donors and other organisations. It has also generated income from running guesthouses in Accra and Tamale and operating a printing press. [3]

Work

Literacy and education

GILLBT has partnered with other organisations to run a Complementary Basic Education programme, which offers nine months of classes in mother tongue literacy for unschooled children. [4]

Translation

GILLBT is one of three main organisations involved in Bible translation in Ghana, alongside the Bible Society of Ghana and the International Bible Society. [5] In addition to its involvement in Bible translation, GILLBT collaborated with National Commission for Civic Education to translate an abridged version of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana into 30 Ghanaian languages, and with the International Federation of Women Lawyers to translate the "Rights of Ghanaian Women" into minority languages. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Lee Pike</span> American linguist and anthropologist (1912–2000)

Kenneth Lee Pike was an American linguist and anthropologist. He was the originator of the theory of tagmemics, the coiner of the terms "emic" and "etic" and the developer of the constructed language Kalaba-X for use in teaching the theory and practice of translation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SIL International</span> Non-profit organization to study, develop and document languages

SIL International is an evangelical Christian nonprofit organization whose main purpose is to study, develop and document languages, especially those that are lesser-known, in order to expand linguistic knowledge, promote literacy, translate the Christian Bible into local languages, and aid minority language development.

The Adele language is spoken in central eastern Ghana and central western Togo. It belongs to the geographic group of Ghana Togo Mountain languages of the Kwa branch of Niger–Congo. The speakers themselves, the Adele people, call the language Gidire.

Wycliffe Bible Translators USA is an interdenominational nonprofit organization with a goal "for people from every language to understand the Bible and be transformed."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Cameron Townsend</span>

William Cameron Townsend was an American Christian missionary-linguist and the founder of Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Summer Institute of Linguistics.

Kusaal is a Gur language spoken primarily in northern eastern Ghana, and Burkina Faso. It is spoken by about 121,000 people and takes its name from the Kusaal people, or Kusasi. There is a distinctive dialect division between Agole, to the East of the Volta River, and Toende, to the West. Agole has more speakers. The 6-district capital; Bawku West with Zebilla as capital and the rest; Binduri, Bawku, Tempane, Garu and Pusiga districts mostly Agole dialect speakers. The complete Bible translation is in the Agole dialect.

The Instituto Lingüístico de Verano A.C. is a non-profit organization incorporated in Mexico with the legal status of a civil association. It is the affiliate body in Mexico to the overarching parent organization SIL International, a worldwide U.S.-based evangelical Protestant organization that sponsors the study, documentation and development of indigenous and minority languages across the world. ILV in Mexico was formally established in 1948, with a stated focus on the study and documentation of the indigenous languages of Mexico and involvement with Mexico's indigenous peoples' affairs generally. The Institute publishes dictionaries, grammars and other literacy and education materials in many of the indigenous languages, and it is also a sponsor of language workshops, presentations and conferences. As a body with ongoing degrees of association and sponsorship of Christian missionary activities and goals, ILV also works to produce translations of Biblical texts in local languages.

John Theodore Bendor-Samuel was an evangelical Christian missionary and linguist who furthered Bible translation work into African languages, as well as making significant contributions to the study of African linguistics. Amongst his friends and colleagues he was widely known by his initials, JBS.

Wycliffe Global Alliance is an alliance of organizations that have objective of translating the Bible into every language. The organisation is named after John Wycliffe, who was responsible for the first complete English translation of the whole Bible into Middle English.

The Mampruli language is a Gur language spoken in northern Ghana, Northern Togo, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Mali by the Mamprusi people. It is partially mutually intelligible with Dagbani. The Mamprusi language is spoken in a broad belt across the northern parts of the Northern Region of Ghana, stretching west to east from Yizeesi to Nakpanduri and centred on the towns of Gambaga, Nalerigu and Walewale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghanaians</span> Citizens or native-born people of Ghana

The Ghanaian people are a nation originating in the Ghanaian Gold Coast. Ghanaians predominantly inhabit the Republic of Ghana and are the predominant cultural group and residents of Ghana, numbering 34 million people as of 2024, making up 85% of the population. The word "Ghana" means "warrior king". An estimated diaspora population of 4 million people worldwide are of Ghanaian descent. The term ethnic Ghanaian may also be used in some contexts to refer to a group of related ethnic groups native to the Gold Coast.

The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) is a government agency in Ghana. The commission is responsible for the education of Ghanaians on civic matters. The commission was established by Act 452 of the Parliament of Ghana in 1993.

The Bible Society of Ghana is a non-denominational, non-governmental Christian organization based in Ghana. The organization is registered under the Trustees Act, 1962 of the Republic of Ghana. It is the largest Bible distribution organization in Ghana.

Tony Naden is a British lexicographer who specializes on Western Oti-Volta subgroup of Gur languages. He has compiled dictionaries in the following languages: Dagbanli, Mampelle, Mõõré, Nabt, Talene, KaMara and Yarsi.

The Forum of Bible Agencies International is an alliance of more than 25 international Bible Agencies and other missions organizations which provides access to the Bible and encourages its use worldwide.

Clement Anderson Akrofi was an ethnolinguist, translator and philologist who worked extensively on the structure of the Twi language under the aegis of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.

Mary Esther Kropp Dakubu was an American linguist based in Ghana, known for her work on Ghanaian languages. She was professor emerita at the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ghana, where she had been affiliated since 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wycliffe Bible Translators (UK & Ireland)</span>

Wycliffe Bible Translators is a Christian mission agency with a primary focus on Bible translation for people worldwide. It is the UK's largest Bible translation organisation. It is part of the Wycliffe Global Alliance.

Alan Stewart Duthie was a Scottish linguist and academic who settled and worked in Ghana all his adult life. He was a pioneer in linguistics at the University of Ghana, Legon, for 49 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gilbert Ansre</span> Ghanaian linguist, academic, priest and bible translation consultant

Gilbert Ansre is a Ghanaian linguist, academic, priest and Bible translation consultant.

References

  1. 1 2 "GILLBT - Ghana". Wycliffe Global Alliance. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  2. "GILLBT". Institute of African Studies. University of Ghana. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
  3. "Literacy contributes to national development- GILLBT". GhanaWeb. 21 July 2003.
  4. "Out of School Children attend classes". Ghana News Agency. 17 October 2013.
  5. Kuwornu-Adjaottor, Jonathan E.T. (2012). "Spiritual gifts, spiritual persons, or spiritually-gifted persons? a creative translation of τών πνευματικών in 1 Corinthians 12:1a". Neotestamentica. 46 (2): 260.
  6. "Impact". GILLBT. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2014.