Conference Talks In Native Languages

[JLHPROF]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/58389092-180/english-conference-church-general.html.csp

 

I really like this.  I think it is appropriate for a worldwide Church to have its leader deliver their conference addresses in their native languages.  I'm surprised it's taken this long to have this as an option.

 

[Paddy]

Gee. People may start to think that the church is truly international and multicultural. Seriously, how inspirational would it be for say a Nigerian member to hear a conference talk directly in her own language. This is a great initiative.

[USU78]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/58389092-180/english-conference-church-general.html.csp

 

I really like this.  I think it is appropriate for a worldwide Church to have its leader deliver their conference addresses in their native languages.  I'm surprised it's taken this long to have this as an option.

 

Very much a non-story, IMNSHO.

 

There have been real-time translators for conference talks for about as long as I've been alive.  And I graduated USU in . . . well, I ain't telling . . .

[JLHPROF]

Very much a non-story, IMNSHO.

 

There have been real-time translators for conference talks for about as long as I've been alive.  And I graduated USU in . . . well, I ain't telling . . .

 

Not really the point.   Of course real-time translation has been available for ages.  It's about the GA's getting to honor their own heritage and language and the saints from their home country.

I think it's better for German saints to hear Pres. Uchtdorf speaking in German while we get the subtitles instead of every talk being in English and every other country getting either the translator or subtitles.

Edited September 9, 2014 by JLHPROF

[strappinglad]

I assume Pres. Uchtdorf will be speaking in High German.

[Hamba Tuhan]

It's about the GA's getting to honor their own heritage and language and the saints from their home country.

 

I don't think it's an issue of 'honouring' anyone or anything. Rather, it will allow many more Church leaders the opportunity to preach in conferences, and -- thankfully! -- it will make their sermons more accessible to those, like me, who only understand a fraction of the heavily accented English we've got in the past few conferences.

 

A side benefit, in my opinion, will be to help the English-speaking core of the Saints be better prepared to receive any 'Samuel the Lamanite' the Lord may wish to send us.

[Paddy]

A side benefit, in my opinion, will be to help the English-speaking core of the Saints be better prepared to receive any 'Samuel the Lamanite' the Lord may wish to send us.

This is an interesting statement. Do you mean that people from other cultures and languages are like Samuel the lamanite? And that that fact makes it harder to receive them? Am I understanding correctly?

[Storm Rider]

This simple decision will change/improve the whole flavor of a world wide church.  It allows for leaders without the facility of multiple languages to speak more easily when called.  It emphasizes that the Church really is a worldwide church with people in many lands.  It allows the everyone to be edified by these individuals that do not speak second languages. 

 

I am grateful all the way around for this change. 

[Hamba Tuhan]

Do you mean that people from other cultures and languages are like Samuel the lamanite? And that that fact makes it harder to receive them? Am I understanding correctly?

 

I think that is certainly true for some. As an extreme thought experiment, how do you think some English-speaking Saints would respond to a First Presidency comprised entirely of native Spanish speakers?

[Hamba Tuhan]

This simple decision will change/improve the whole flavor of a world wide church.  It allows for leaders without the facility of multiple languages to speak more easily when called.  It emphasizes that the Church really is a worldwide church with people in many lands.  It allows the everyone to be edified by these individuals that do not speak second languages. 

 

I am grateful all the way around for this change. 

 

+1

[Stargazer]

Not really the point.   Of course real-time translation has been available for ages.  It's about the GA's getting to honor their own heritage and language and the saints from their home country.

I think it's better for German saints to hear Pres. Uchtdorf speaking in German while we get the subtitles instead of every talk being in English and every other country getting either the translator or subtitles.

This wouldn't bother me, Pres. Uchtdorf speaking in German -- that's my mission language.

But you seem to have completely forgotten that there are no subtitles in the Conference Center, and everyone in that building would be out of luck.

Unless then put a big huge display board in there with the subtitles. I guess that would be feasible.

[Hamba Tuhan]

But you seem to have completely forgotten that there are no subtitles in the Conference Center, and everyone in that building would be out of luck.

 

From the referenced article: 'In cases when speakers give their address in other languages, Jones said, "English subtitles will be shown on screens in the Conference Center"'.

[The Nehor]

Welp, I was learning German as a job skill. It will be nice for it to be useful when listening to President Uchtdorf.

 

Does this mean that Americans, Australians, New Zealanders and the British are no longer the chosen people?

 

Oh, and for those in Canada and South Africa....you never were the chosen people.

[Duncan]

Welp, I was learning German as a job skill. It will be nice for it to be useful when listening to President Uchtdorf.

 

Does this mean that Americans, Australians, New Zealanders and the British are no longer the chosen people?

 

Oh, and for those in Canada and South Africa....you never were the chosen people.

 

 

bite your tongue you will! Americans got bumped from being the Chosen People when you unleashed Ryan Seacrest on the world  Canadians on the other  hand are the frozen Chosen, sorry about that!

[Paddy]

I think that is certainly true for some. As an extreme thought experiment, how do you think some English-speaking Saints would respond to a First Presidency comprised entirely of native Spanish speakers?

I don't know? I would welcome it from a diversity perspective. I guess there could be some that would be put out from a convenience perspective but with the right translation facilities it would be language barrier would be reduced.

I hope there would be no discriminatory feelings felt by anyone. Was that what you were suggesting?? It's how it comes across. The Catholic Church has been in this situation for a long time. I wonder how they deal with any of those issues if any.

[Paddy]

Welp, I was learning German as a job skill. It will be nice for it to be useful when listening to President Uchtdorf.

Does this mean that Americans, Australians, New Zealanders and the British are no longer the chosen people?

Oh, and for those in Canada and South Africa....you never were the chosen people.

Australians have always been a chosen people. Some would say special. Edited September 9, 2014 by Paddy

[Hamba Tuhan]

I would welcome it from a diversity perspective.

 

I would welcome it too, though I don't much care for seeing things from the perspective of 'diversity'.

 

I hope there would be no discriminatory feelings felt by anyone. Was that what you were suggesting?? It's how it comes across.

 

I share that hope, but it's a tempered one. My former bishop's brother currently lives in a ward (in the Commonwealth, not the US) that is currently being torn apart along linguistic/cultural lines. Earlier this year the bishopric created a new policy that not just talks but also prayers/testimonies must be in English only. So far this policy has led to both hurt feelings and physical altercations, with mistakes, in my opinion, made on both sides. Sad, sad, sad. I much prefer the approach of my ward, where in the past month we've heard prayers/testimonies in at least four different languages.

 

I suspect it will be good for all members to get the message that the Kingdom of God has no official language, even if it (currently) has a dominant one.

Edited September 9, 2014 by Hamba Tuhan

[sunstoned]

Not really the point.   Of course real-time translation has been available for ages.  It's about the GA's getting to honor their own heritage and language and the saints from their home country.

I think it's better for German saints to hear Pres. Uchtdorf speaking in German while we get the subtitles instead of every talk being in English and every other country getting either the translator or subtitles.

I am not sure how the subtitles would work for those who were attending live at the center.

[Hamba Tuhan]

I am not sure how the subtitles would work for those who were attending live at the center.

 

There are already large screens either side of the stage area in the Conference Center. That's how attendees now see the speakers, who are too far away to be seen clearly otherwise.

[Calm]

This wouldn't bother me, Pres. Uchtdorf speaking in German -- that's my mission language.But you seem to have completely forgotten that there are no subtitles in the Conference Center, and everyone in that building would be out of luck.Unless then put a big huge display board in there with the subtitles. I guess that would be feasible.

They are have screens up because it is so big and they been putting up scriptures and quotes and pictures since it first opened, iirc. Edited September 9, 2014 by calmoriah

[Stargazer]

From the referenced article: 'In cases when speakers give their address in other languages, Jones said, "English subtitles will be shown on screens in the Conference Center"'.

Cool! I didn't read the article, so...

[Hamba Tuhan]

Cool! I didn't read the article, so...

 

No worries. I'm trying to force myself to complete a peer review tonight, and it's for an anthropology journal, so I was happy for an excuse to read pretty much anything else ...

[Boanerges]

Just giving my two cents worth that I think this is great. I actually struggle to get through the thick accents sometimes and always have closed captioning on during conference anyway. Of course, Pres. Uchtdorf doesn't have a thick accent and is an eloquent speaker of English, but I'd still be fine with him speaking in German and wouldn't be at all surprised if this were his idea. He's in a great position to make changes, and recognizing the cultural diversity of the church is wonderful, IMO.

[CV75]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/58389092-180/english-conference-church-general.html.csp

 

I really like this.  I think it is appropriate for a worldwide Church to have its leader deliver their conference addresses in their native languages.  I'm surprised it's taken this long to have this as an option.

I am not surprised, not that I had any expectations one way or the other.

 

But I do think it is interesting that the Church is going against the trend (again!) on this one:

 

“The last few decades have seen a growth in the role of the English language around the world as the lingua franca for economic, scientific, and political exchange. The term lingua franca means ‘any language used for communication between groups who have no other language in common’ (Matthews, 2000:209). According to Crystal (1997), 85% of the world's international organizations use English as their official language in transnational communication. About 85% of the world’s important film productions and markets use English as well, and 90% of the published academic articles in several academic fields, such as linguistics, are written in English. In many cases, the increased growth in the use of the English language can be attributed to educational, economic, or cultural globalization.” http://www.academia.edu/188911/The_Impact_of_Globalization_and_the_Internet_on_English_Language_Teaching_and_Learning

 

See criticisms of ELFhere:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_as_a_lingua_franca

[rockpond]

I'm very excited for this and happy that they are making this change.  For me, it will be fun to hear the gospel taught in Spanish again.  And, I imagine that the saints around the world will enjoy hearing the general authorities from their countries in their own native tongue.