The Talk Place

Blogs with inside information and personal opinions from GRN members around the world

Language is Funny

Richard & Heather Roper - Sunday 23 August 2009

Some people are very proud of their language.

The first time I was in France, my friend and I rocked up to the train station only to discover that the trains were all on strike. This resulted in me having to make a phone call to make sure that the people who were expecting us knew what was going on.

I only ever learn primary school French and had already discover its inadequacy on the bus when we arrived in Calais. I later realized that I did understand the words the bus driver was saying but his accent was so strong I was at a loss to understand them. I was forced to pullout some change and let the driver choose whatever he wanted from my hand.

My friend was no help, his best French was "Mercy Buckets Silver Plate". (Yes the Spelling is correct).

Anyway back at the train station I did not have enough change to make the phone call so I decided to approch the Kiosk at the station for some.

After my experience on the bus I decided that I was going to steer clear of French for a while and asked the man at the kiosk "Excuse me do you speak English"?

To which he replied, in clear English, "No I don't speak English but she does" pointing to his partner behind the counter.

Deciding that I was happy to play this game I approached the lady behind the counter and said "Excuse me do you speak English"?

To which she replied, in clear English, "No I don't speak English but he does" pointing to her partner behind the counter.

It was at this point that I realized that if I was going to get anywhere in France I was going to have to, at least try and speak the language. Much to the amusement of all the French people who were very happy to help me.

I enjoy my sport so much that I teach it.

One of my students is French and he was telling me about how his grandparents spoke a version of French that most French people today don’t understand.

He then went on to talk about how he knew of some people in Europe that were trying to promote a universal language.

“It’s pretty stupid really” he said “because it’s never going to replace the English language” - a pretty bold statement I thought coming from a Frenchman.

I explained how I thought that one day English could be replaced but only if some other language were to become the dominant trade language as English is today.

Greek of course was once that dominant trade language.

My teacher the Rev. Stevens taught me some Greek when I was in Bible college.

This man was incredibly tolerant of me and I will always love him for it. I was never very good but I really wanted to do it.

I remember being in Athens a year or so after I left Bible college and saying to my friend Eric that all the time I spent in Mr. Stevens class is paying off.

“I can actually read the street signs” I said.

He said “Do you understand them”.

I said “Not at all !

But I don’t have to know what they mean to find our way around, I only have to know what they say.”

I remember doing a presentation for GRN in a Greek Church. It was fun because it was the first time that I was being translated.

It was also the first time that I discovered that some jokes don't translate well and that ancient Greek is only sometimes the same as modern Greek.

However at the end of my presentation I wanted to make a good impression so I asked my translator what the Greek word was for Amen. Mr Stevens would have been most disappointed in me as Amen is a Greek word. Doh!

As a complete aside, in recent years I discover the perfect English translation for Amen is... Wait for it... "fairdinkum". Honestly.

Getting back to my explanation to my French student I said that as long as English is the language of trade it will remain the dominant language but like the language of his grandparents the dominant language would never change peoples heart language.

Of course there is always a trade language. Even in the remotest part of the world.

It will not always be as dominant as English. In fact in most of our cases it rarely is.

But there always is one and that provides opportunity to get to the heart language and it is the heart language that we in the Global Recordings Network want everyone to be able to hear the gospel message in.

There are of course some very good reasons for this.

When you hear something in your own accent for example you are immediately more attune to it.

For example, I like North Americans. I have some very good friends that are North Americans.

However, I don’t know about you but I can’t stand to hear a sermon preached by an Australian using a North American accent.

We all prefer to hear something in a voice that is close to our heart.

And in this we are no different to all the oral societies throughout the world.

But there is much more to it than that.

You have to make it attractive to the hearer.

Whether it is groups sitting around campfires or children sitting at the feet of their elders telling stories, it has been a powerful way to stir hearts and imaginations and pass on key information from one generation to another.

Our Lord Jesus Himself was the best communicator who ever lived.

He created a hunger for truth in the hearts of the people through many parables.

Today, story telling is still one of the most effective ways to reach seeking hearts.

The thing we often remember most about what someone said is not the “three main points”, but the illustrations!

Since its beginnings, as Gospel Recordings then as Language Recordings and now the Global Recordings Network, it has been our goal to follow Christ’s method and used Bible stories to communicate spiritual truths with many wonderful results.

In this particular instance the difference is not between written and oral communication but between two different styles of oral communication.

But the point is obvious.

The method or style of communication can have an enormous impact on the effectiveness of that communication.

To preserve God’s word, there is no substitute for translating and printing it, but when it comes to the communication of God’s word we need to broaden our thinking.

So why does GRN concentrate on voice rather than written language.

Because as important as the task of Bible translation is, if we think that the task of communicating God’s truth is only achieved by translating and distributing the Bible, and by teaching people to read it, then we are sadly mistaken.

This has some distinct advantages to you in your mission.

Have you a contact or a friend who you think might like to listen to a basic Gospel message in the comfort of their own homes at there own pace as many times as they like.

For that matter have you a contact or a friend for whom English is not their first language.

In such a case you wouldn’t have to use our materials the way we do.

If you considered any of our materials appropriate you could for example leave a tape or CD with them of a basic gospel message not only in their own heart language but even possibly in their own dialect.

“I have been found by those who did not seek me I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.” says Rom. 10:20 and Is. 65:1.

Today the words of the prophet Isaiah as quoted in our motto from Romans continues to be fulfilled.

People who did not seek, are finding the Lord Jesus by hearing the gospel preached to them.

The disciples were called to be a witness first in Jerusalem, then Judea, then Samaria, then the ends of the earth.

In this case you are being called to be a witness.

First at your place then on out to the end of the world.

You and I are the means by which others will hear and understand.

Lets adhere to the call.

Fairdinkum