About the MAT

Background

Bible agencies—and increasingly interested churches—have various strategies in place to make decisions about starting translation projects. However, what generally is lacking is a clear perspective or developed procedure on how to address the issue of multilingualism during the project design and decision-making process. Some agencies may have one or two guiding questions on the issue. Others may advise a more extensive and expert-led process. Some agencies might find complex linguistic solutions cumbersome and seemingly distractive. As a result, translation projects are more often than not initiated without testing the main assumptions about language use for effective Scripture engagement in multilingual contexts.

In this 30 minute video Maik Gibson explains the theory behind the assessment of multilingualism types.  (A paper given at the Bible Translation Conference Oct 2023).

Audience

The Multilingualism Assessment Tool (MAT) is intended for churches, Bible agencies, or any group that seeks to start a Bible translation (BT) or Scripture engagement (SE) project. Ultimately, all the stakeholders involved in creating a plan for BT/SE projects should be interested in this. A secondary audience would be the various funding agencies of Bible translation.

Purpose

The purpose of the MAT is to equip churches, Bible translation agencies, and funding agencies and to help make them aware of how multilingualism affects strategic decisions concerning Bible translation and Scripture use. This awareness will lead to better decisions concerning design and will enhance the likelihood of effective use of Bible products. Our goal is to create a tool that everyone can embrace because it is simple, user-friendly, time and energy efficient and question-based.

Values

The tool has been developed within a set of value parameters for design and function:

Simple. It is straightforward to use, which is why a linear approach and an easy process was chosen. The tool tries to stay away from jargon.

Efficient. People should be able to use it quickly at the highest level of leadership, and go into depth at the preplanning and design levels.

Energizing. It is a tool to help raise awareness about multilingualism as well as open eyes to possibilities within various language contexts.

Translatable. The tool is being translated into various languages.

Complementing. The hope for this tool is that it will complement other tools that are available. The tool will be linked into a network of tools as well as linked to tools that complete a broad preparation of translation work and review

Components

The tool has three main components that overlap or complement each other:

Typology. Any typology is a generalization even though there is undoubtedly significant variation within a type. To make the typology manageable and helpful, the tool proposes four types of multilingualism: Limited multilingualism, Shifting multilingualism, Shifted multilingualism and Widespread multilingualism. To facilitate people being able to quickly determine the type of multilingualism they are facing, an instrument for rapid assessment has been designed.

Perspectives. This is a discovery or discussion guide that encourages a group of people—church, organization or collaboration—to look at five aspects of language: community, use, age, church, and distant use (diaspora). Users of the tool can choose to use a brief discussion guide that has one question for each of the five aspects. Or they can use a longer discussion guide that has between five and ten questions under each aspect.

Guidance. To facilitate people in making suitable decisions, the tool also gives guidance on what the implications of the discoveries might be. Any advice is merely suggested as a best practice. In the end, the partners in a Bible translation initiative will have to decide what fits their context and aspirations best.

Process

The tool has the three above mentioned components working together. Users are encouraged to first do the Typology Assessment—which one could call a multiple choice ‘quiz’—on 14 characteristics of a multilingual setting. Upon completion of this rapid assessment, they are guided to the description of one of the four multilingualism types that best fits their situation. That description includes a set of suggestions—a guidance or advisory—to help them consider the implication of their discoveries.

The Typology Assessment steps are relatively straightforward. Users need to think through the multilingual situation they are facing, which is why the tool encourages them to organize a reflective stakeholder process in addition to the rapid assessment. The perspectives component is intended to facilitate such a process. It provides a group, team or community two versions to use: a short version with one broad question for each of the five aspects—or perspectives—of the language, or a longer version of between five and ten engagement questions for each perspective. Like the assessment component the perspectives component also has a set of guidance statements to help users in thinking through the implications of their findings.

Distribution

The primary home is the Scripture Engagement Guide (EMDC.Guide) promoted as part of the EMDC platform. The typology assessment is a focal point of this tool in terms of considering multilingualism and an integral part of the Scripture Engagement Guide and it will be linked on various other organizations' websites.