몽골어 성서 번역의 특징 : 한국어 성서 번역과의 비교 연구

Abstract

A dozen of new Bible translations in Mongolic languages have emerged in recent two decades, in tandem with the rise of Christian churches and believers among Mongolian tribes, from Kalmykia in the west through Buryatia and (outer) Mongolia to Inner Mongolia in the east. This study aims to explore the features of Mongolian Bible versions, particularly the two most popular versions: the MUBS version in Outer Mongolia and the MNT in Inner Mongolia, in comparison with Bible versions in Korean, a language which has been traditionally classified under the same Altaic group with Mongolian. <BR> The controversy seems ebbing away in regard to the Mongolian term for God, now that “Burkhan (Бурхан)” has been chosen as the best word to describe Biblical God by the translators of most popular Bible versions as well as by majority of churches, whether in Outer or Inner Mongolia, Kalmykia or Buryatia. In contrast, none of the other alternatives has won a major support even in one of the four key regions where the Mongolic speakers dwell. The most popular version, using “Burkhan” for God, is also the version most literal in its translation style (like in Korea) compared with other versions following dynamic equivalence or paraphrased translation, both in Inner Mongolia and in Outer Mongolia.<BR> Biblical key terms in the Mongolian versions are rather independent from foreign influences, compared with those in Korean or Japanese versions which had to import vast majority of the key terms from ‘hanzi’, the Chinese characters.<BR> Mongolian Bible translations, compared with Korean counterparts, reflect not only cultural advantages arising from nomadic traditions akin to Hebrew nomadism, but also some grammatical advantages such as a rich stock of suffixes to express tenses and aspects as well as more freedom to use honorific second singular pronoun.<BR> In recent years Mongolian translators are showing an unprecedented ardor in the translation of Biblical poetry, to apply Mongolian rhythms (characterized in particular by alliteration), which penetrates deeply into Mongolian idioms and literature.<BR> Despite the short experiences and the current shortage of translation experts as well as concerns over diminishing number of Mongolic-language speakers out of Mongolia, Mongolian Bible translations today seem to be gaining momentum in parallel with the waxing of Christianity at home and the surge of Mongol students learning Bible translation abroad, getting ready to make inroad into minor Mongolic-speaking tribes with no Scriptures yet in their own language.