The accessibility of a written Bible versus a signed Bible for the deaf born person with sign language as first language

Abstract

English: This research aimed to prove that Biblical texts in South African Sign Language are more accessible than written or printed Biblical texts for deaf born people in South Africa who use Sign Language as their first language. The study made use of the functionalist approach in translation to translate six Biblical parts into South African Sign Language (SASL). Mother tongue speakers were used as translators with the assistance of hearing specialists in the fields of religion and translation studies. Translation was done from the original Hebrew and Greek texts into South African Sign Language. After production of the video with the Biblical parts in South African Sign Language, the content of the video as well as the level of understanding of the texts, were evaluated in the Deaf community of South Africa by means of an empirical study done in the Western Cape, Kwazulu Natal, Gauteng, Northern Cape and the Free State. The results of the empirical study proved that the Signed Biblical parts were more accessible for mother tongue Deaf people than the written counterparts. Results from the study also indicated how a signed Bible should look. Conclusions can also been drawn from the study that a Bible in Sign Language is needed for use in the Deaf community in South Africa.

Afrikaans: Hierdie studie het ten doel om te bewys dat Bybeltekste in Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal meer toeganklik is vir die dowe persoon in Suid-Afrika wat Gebaretaal as eerste taal gebruik as geskrewe of gedrukte tekste. Die funksionele benadering in vertaling word in die proses van vertaling van die ses gedeeltes uit die gedrukte Bybel na Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal gebruik. Moedertaalsprekers is gebruik as vertalers tydens die studie. Dit is gedoen met die hulp van horende deskundiges in die Godsdiens- en vertalingsvelde. Die vertaling van die tekste is gedoen vanaf die oorspronklike Hebreeus en Grieks na Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal. Nadat die video van die gedeeltes in Gebaretaal vervaardig is, is die inhoud van die video sowel as die vlak van begrip van die teksgedeeltes in die Dowe gemeenskap van Suid-Afrika getoets deur middel van ’n empiriese studie. Die studie is in die Wes- Kaap, Kwazulu Natal, Gauteng, Noord-Kaap en die Vrystaat gedoen. Die resultate wat verkry is uit die empiriese studie het wel bewys dat die Bybelgedeeltes in Gebaretaal meer toeganklik is vir die moedertaalsprekende Dowes as die gedrukte gedeeltes. Resultate het ook aangedui hoe hierdie Gebaretaal Bybel moet lyk. Die afleiding kan dus gemaak word dat ’n Suid-Afrikaanse Gebaretaal Bybel nodig is in die Dowe gemeenskap van Suid-Afrika.