Latest News Play the BSL Bible Draft

Click here to play a sample clip of translation into BSL of the Gospel of Mark. This is Mark 2:1-12. This is one of the first parts of translation that we have attempted and it is a DRAFT. It has been translated by a team of Deaf and hearing people and then filmed professionally. We are currently in a consultation process for this clip and are asking for feedback from Deaf people. We will use the comments that we collect to improve this clip and the rest of the translation.

We would welcome your views too. We need to know if you think this is clear and reflects the Bible, but in a way that is clear BSL. If you have any comments about the clip, please contact Tracey, our research student at traceyr(at)bslbible.org.uk (Please replace (at) with @. This is a measure to prevent spam).

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Latest News continued...

From our consultation so far, we are already aware that there are parts we need to change, some in the BSL itself but also in the use of colour in the clip (the background, for example).

At present this clip is only available here on our website as an example of the translation of Mark's Gospel that we have started and are continuing to translate. In future we hope the clips will be available in different formats so they are easy to use.

We need your support to continue to translate and to improve our methods. Please consider how you could help us.

We have now become registered as a Charitable Company. We have appointed a PhD student – Tracy Raistrick who will begin her PhD and work as a Project Co-ordinator on October 1st 2007.

The Project has been awarded a grant from the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Research Councils (AHRC/ESRC) for a studentship post. This means we will employ a person from September 2007 to undertake part time research related to Bible Translation which will lead to a PhD. They will also work part time as a coordinator for the Project.

This is a very exciting development and will give us the opportunity to create strong links with the academic world, ensuring that the profile of BSL and the Deaf community will be raised, especially in the field of theology.

Translation News

We are currently testing our translation process in a pilot period. A team is meeting to translate parts of the Gospel of Mark, from the New Testament, into BSL and this is being filmed and monitored by Deaf people. We have the support of British and international academics and organisations who are offering us advice and consultancy.

We are asking experienced Deaf and hearing interpreters to translate these clips into English and then sending them to Bible experts to see if the translation is accurate in comparison with the original Greek text.

The clips will also be sent out to Deaf groups, for feedback about how comfortable and natural the sign language is to watch.

Once all this feedback has been received, we will re-visit the translation and change it if necessary.

We hope that this is a rigorous process and will mean that the finished translation will be accepted academically, as well as by the grassroots Deaf community.

Financial News

We now have a number of individuals and groups who are supporting us financially on a regular basis. This is vital to our work. If you or your church would like to give to the BSL Bible Translation Project, please download one of our donation forms.

After a meeting with the Bible Society, they invited us to create a business plan in order to discuss possible funding or opportunities for us to work with their organisation. We submitted this business plan and their initial response to this was to give us £10,000, and they will look into the possibility of further funding later. This is excellent news and it means we can make sure that the Project becomes established during 2007. We would like to try to build on this relationship with the Bible Society if possible.

We have also received £1,000 from Greenbelt Trust. This is great news, and will also help us to arrange translation team work during 2007.

Other News

The BSL Bible Translation Project was officially launched on Saturday 2nd September 2006 in Cardiff. Over 100 Deaf and hearing people attended the event, and had a chance to ask questions, give their opinions and sign up to get involved in different parts of the Project.

Media interest leading up to and following this event was very positive, with articles in a variety of Christian publications (including the Tablet and Baptist Union of Great Britain publications) and the Deaf media (an article in Sign Matters, via the RNID, via BID and interest in a future item on the BBC’s See Hear among others).