The Bible Translator’s Assistant

Imagine if we could translate Scriptures faster, for less cost, and then end up with a better quality translation. That’s what The Bible Translator’s Assistant (TBTA) software has been shown to accomplish.

TBTA is an exciting new natural language-generating software that significantly reduces drafting time for Bible translations. Wycliffe Canada, its partner OneBook, and several other Bible translation organizations are collaborating to see TBTA completed and ready for widespread use by 2025. This initiative could impact millions within a decade. 

As TBTA is being developed, different language groups are using the software in its current form through pilot projects, with great results. 

In the Gichuka language project of Kenya (see photo), reviewers found that grammatical mistakes in the TBTA-generated draft were minimal and easy to deal with—even though it was the first time the translators had seen an initial draft generated by the TBTA software.

“Today alone,” reported the project leader, “we edited Chapter 1 of Ruth and half of the second chapter.  I am hopeful that tomorrow, we will have dealt with the entire book!”

How it works

First, specially designed digital templates are created for each book of the Bible. Templates are developed to accurately capture the original meaning of the source text: the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures. These templates are produced once and will work with any analyzed language! 

Second, translators analyze the target language and enter information into TBTA. Important grammatical information is gathered, such as sentence structure and parts of speech, as well as the lexicon of all the words that are found in the Bible. This information is entered into TBTA and applied to the templates to create the draft of each book of the Bible. Templates are then created for other important resources, such as materials to encourage engagement with the translated Scriptures, literacy primers, booklets that address health care, disaster relief and much more. 

YOUR PARTNERSHIP IS KEY

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No existing software can achieve what TBTA can. You can help minority language groups benefit from the software in the following ways: 

• TBTA speeds translation process by up to 40% without sacrificing either quality or accuracy.
• Stalled Bible translation projects gain new life. For many language groups, translating the entire Bible is a daunting task. TBTA significantly reduces the entire translation project life cycle. 
• Bottlenecks are overcome. The biggest challenge for remaining language groups that need Bible translation is a lack of qualified consultants. In recent field trials, TBTA has been shown to significantly reduce a consultant’s workload.
• Better translations are produced. The software presents the meaning of the original texts in a consistent and simple way, and in the language of the national translation team. This enables the team to focus on editing the text to make it sound clear and natural. 
• Local translators take ownership. When the initial exegesis (critical explanation or interpretation of Scripture texts) is facilitated by a computer, the education required to engage in translation work is reduced, making participation possible among more marginalized populations.

PRAYER POINTS
Pray for the effective promotion of TBTA, and that many more language groups would be able to benefit from this tool.

OUR COMMITMENT

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• Send you regular updates to keep you informed about progress, financial need, and prayer requests
• Send you an annual tax receipt for your donations

Photo essay: Bible Bytes – TBTA software accelerates translation in Kenya and beyond