Translation work may appear straightforward at first glance — simply converting words from one language to another. However, the reality is far more complex. Meet Rick Floyd, a translation consultant who helps ensure accuracy and quality in Bible translation.
Many skills for a complex process
Translation work may appear straightforward at first glance — simply converting words from one language to another. However, the reality is far more complex. When you consider words lacking equivalents across languages, cultural implications, and varying grammatical structures, the task becomes significantly more intricate.
Wycliffe’s workforce reflects this complexity through diverse skill sets. One often-overlooked position within this organization is translation consulting.
Rick Floyd serves as a translation consultant with Wycliffe USA and teaches linguistics as a professor at Biola University. His responsibilities include coordinating translation projects for Spanish-speaking South America and consulting with language groups in Peru where he previously worked.
Teamwork
“In my view, a translation consultant serves as an extra pair of eyes to maybe spot things that the translation team hasn’t thought of, they’ve overlooked. Suggestions on how something might be rendered that’s a little awkward. To help them think through exegetical issues. So it’s a multiplicity of roles and potential functions.” — Rick Floyd
Rather than determining translation quality, his primary objective involves helping teams examine matters from multiple perspectives while avoiding common translation pitfalls.
“Because one person doesn’t know everything. One group of people doesn’t know everything. So, in a sense the more eyes you have looking at something — within reason — and variety of experience, you can catch things that may be blind spots to one person and might not be to another person. Consideration of cultural issues, for example.” — Rick Floyd
Continuous revision
Floyd clarifies that translation work follows a cyclical rather than linear process. Teams don’t progress sequentially from Genesis to Revelation. Instead, they repeatedly review completed work. Consulting represents another quality control mechanism.
“I’ve heard it said the seeds of revision are sown in the translation itself. So, all you have to do is start translating something and there’s going to be problems with something that you do. So, again, we’re very, very imperfect. We do our best… and commit the results to God.” — Rick Floyd
Support by prayer
“Pray that the Lord of the harvest sends workers to the field, to be able to begin work in the languages that remain. The Scriptures say that at the end, people from every tribe and tongue and nation will be around the throne, and we’re working to make that vision a reality.” — Rick Floyd
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