Early Scriptures of the Gold Coast (Ghana): The Historical, Linguistic and Theological Settings of the Ga, Twi, Mfantse and Ewe Bibles
₵113.75
Early Scriptures of the Gold Coast (Ghana) is a historically rich and compelling account of African and European missionary translation teams, working in Ghana and Togo, who created orthographies, wrote grammars and dictionaries in the local languages, and undertook vernacular translations of Scriptures. Their aim was to teach the Bible in the mother tongue languages to better communicate the message of Scripture. By dedicating their philological and linguistic skills to Bible translation, the Gold Coast Christians helped to advance a lasting Ghanaian literate tradition.
Professor Ekem guides us through a historical account of centuries of the earliest translations of biblical texts into the four main languages of Ghana and Togo − Gā, Ewe, and two major dialects of the Akan language, Twi, and Mfantse. As Prof. Gilbert Ansre writes in the Preface, “To do this, [Prof. Ekem] has undertaken very careful and exhaustive [international] research to obtain overwhelming data and insights. He has presented…these in a very clear and orderly manner…The book…enables us to appreciate the convictions, the abilities, the devotion, and the tenacity of the many European and African translators.”
Throughout the book, Dr. Ekem provides fascinating examples that vividly illustrate the historical contexts, the translation issues at stake, the daunting obstacles, and the ultimate triumphs of the early translation teams. In addition, he describes the ongoing activity of emending and enhancing Bible translation in these Gold Coast languages.
Early Scriptures of the Gold Coast (Ghana) is the second volume of The History of Bible Translation Series. It is the first in a series of monographs prepared by experts in the field of translation study, supported in research and publishing by the American Bible Society and its partners, and intended to provide historical perspectives and address important issues relating to the history and practice of Bible translation. In each monograph, the insights and observations of an expert author will reveal the unique role of a particular translation effort in the complex and enduring story of Bible translation.
“The Bible in the vernacular is arguably one of the key enduring legacies of the pioneer Western Christian missionaries in Africa… The story of the making of these translations is yet to be narrated and widely appreciated. We are greatly indebted to Rev. Professor
John David Ekem for carefully researching and painstakingly documenting the story of the first Bibles in Ghana, namely the Ga, Twi, Ewe and Mfantse Bibles. The fascinating story of the indispensable partnership between the missionary translators and their mother tongue collaborators is given its proper place in this narrative. Professor Ekem’s detailed and well-documented story of the making of the pioneer Bibles of Ghana is a highly commendable to scholarship and the understanding of the Christian story in Ghana.” — Aloo Osotsi Mojola, PhD; Translation Consultant, United Bible Societies Africa Arena, Adjunct Professor, Great Lakes University of Kisumu, Kenya (Former Africa Area Translation Coordinator, United Bible Societies)
“The importance of this work lies in the author’s effort to tell the fascinating untold stories behind Bible translations.” — Rev. Kofi Owusu, General Secretary, Bible Society of Ghana
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| Weight | 0.4 kg |
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