A Critical Study of the Designation of Chapter as Ti by Asante – Twi Bible Readers

Bible reading is one of the purposeful activities Christians and users of the Bible engage in it to learn the word of God as well as learning new vocabularies of their native language, especially when they read in their mother-tongue. Asante-Twi Bible readers and users have designated ti for “chapter” in the reading of the Asante-Twi Bible. However, this does not carry the literal meaning of the text; thereby, not helping Asante-Twi Bible users to access the literal and right meaning for “chapter” in the Asante-Twi language. Using the analytical method in reading, this article argues that Asante-Twi Bible users should read chapter as ɔfa, for it carries the literal meaning of the text. Aside helping Asante-Twi Bible users to identify and ascertain the meaning of “chapter” in their language, which builds their vocabulary, it helps them to get the literal and right meaning of the text. The designation of ɔfa for “chapter” by Asante-Twi Bible users and readers keeps them from the “shock of recognition” of carrying a different meaning; it carries the literal and right meaning for “chapter” in the Asante-Twi language. This study has thus added an Akan meaning and translation of “chapter” to the knowledge of Bible reading in Akan, in general, and the Asante-Twi Bible reading communities, in particular. It is being recommended that Asante-Twi Bible users and readers should designate “chapter” as ɔfa in Bible reading which is done either silently or aloud at church, in their homes, or where ever, especially during church services, family devotions, or wherever, for academic and or spiritual purposes.

Keywords: Asante-Twi Bible reading, Analytical Method, Chapter, Ti, and Ɔfa


INTRODUCTION
According to Bouhedjam, reading activity is one of the most significant ways of learning, as it is connected with literacy and civilizational development. 1 This assertion is affirmed by Pabellorin who believes that reading helps readers to understand the written word in the language they read [which could be their mother-tongue]. 2 Thus, it helps the readers to grasp an enhanced knowledge of the language being read in their language. Reading also helps individuals to learn a language faster and more completely, for it is an essential skill for language learners. 3 Though it can be entertaining, reading offers individuals the opportunity to open new worlds as well as enriching their lives; the continuous repetition of words in reading enables them to learn and remember vocabulary.
Macmillan Dictionary defines reading as the process of recognising written or printed words and understanding their meaning. 4 In other words, reading involves identifying series of written symbols and ascertaining their meaning from them. Feyfant and Gaussel also express reading as a construction of meaning and not as the result of a preliminary decoding process. 5 Reading is done silently (in one's head) or aloud so that others can hear. Bouhedjam opines that reading is an activity with a purpose. 6 This, according to Jenkins, helps individuals [or readers] to get the literal meaning [of a text, book or literature] by way of interpreting what they read. 7 To get the literal meaning of a text, readers must understand what is read by way of interpretation. Hence, reading enables individuals to receive information, crosscheck existing information or knowledge, and or critique the writing style of an author or their ideas. It helps individuals to objectively find facts in various literature they read as well as discovering new facts.
However, Jenkins holds that readers become "shock of recognition" when they encounter new ideas or undergo a new experience. 8 This could be true especially when the literal meaning of the text read does not seem to carry the meaning in the language of the people. Or better still, where a translated text into a native language carries a different meaning when read. An example is the reading of ti 9 as "chapter" by Asante-Twi Bible readers and users. This article seeks to unravel the lack of literal and right understanding from the reading of ti as "chapter" by Asante-Twi Bible readers and users; reading is an essential part of language instruction at every level which supports learning in multiple ways such as learning the Asante-Twi language, and creating the cultural knowledge and awareness of the language. 10

BIBLE TRANSLATION
Bell, quoting and translating Dubois from French into English says translation "is the expression in another language (or target language [TL]) of what has been expressed in another source language [SL], preserving semantic and stylistic equivalences." 11 This means that translation involves only transcoding words or sentences from SL into TL while preserving semantic and stylistic equivalence. However, Vermeer thinks otherwise. On his part, "translation is not the transcoding of words or sentences from one language to another, but a complex form of action, whereby someone provides information on a text (SL material) in a new situation and under changed functional, cultural and linguistic conditions, preserving formal aspects as closely as possible." 12 Thus, translation goes beyond just expressing a text in another language to include the cross-cultural transfer of information with the translator being familiar with SL and the receptor language (RL), to include ensuring a changed functional, cultural and linguistic condition while preserving formal aspects as closely as possible.
For a clearer definition on the subject, Bratcher defines translation as "the resurrection of an alien thing in a native body; not the dressing of it up in native clothes, but the giving to it of native flesh and blood." 13 In explaining further, resurrecting the gospel in African environment, Asamoah says the Asante-Twi is "…like a good modern Asante-Twi translation being read in such a way to appear as though it had been produced in Asante-Twi language by an Asante, written at the time the original text was written, and reflecting the total context of the original work, but in language and terms intelligible in our time." 14 Bible translation is vital to the task of communicating God's word in the mother-tongue of a particular group. The objective of the declaration of the gospel is for the message to reach people, and be understood and acted upon by the hearer. For this to be achieved, the message must either be written or spoken in a language that best communicates with the recipients. This echoes with Bediako's view that for one to hear their own language and be expressible in it lies at the heart of all authentic religious encounters with the divine realm. 15 This emphasises the importance of Bible translation in the life of people.
Bible translation can be defined as the art and practice of rendering the Judeo-Christian scriptures into languages other than those in which it was formerly written taking into consideration the culture and worldview of the new native environment. Thus, it is resurrecting the Judeo-Christian scriptures from the original languages used in writing into the new native environment they find themselves in to make it become culturally relevant and appreciable to the indigenes. The gospel can be resurrected into a native environment when the most appropriate translation model is employed. The Asante-Twi Bible is one of the translated Bibles which helps the Asante-Twi Bible users and readers to understand the gospel message in the language of the local indigenes.
"Chapter" in the Asante-Twi Bible (1964) is rendered as Ti. However, this is omitted in the revised version -Asante-Twi . The Asante-Twi Bible users have varied meanings and understanding for reading "chapter" as ti, for they do not carry the literal and right meaning, and every day usage of text. 7 William A. Jenkins, Reading for Enjoyment and Personal Development (February 1967), Date Accessed August 9, 2020, http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_196702_jenkins.pdf 8 Jenkins,Reading for Enjoyment and Personal Development,405. 9 Others also read it as "eti" or "etire". 10

BIBLE READING
To begin with, it is imperative to explain the Bible. According to Dickson, the word "Bible" is an Anglicised French word from biblos in Greek and biblia in Latin meaning "book." 16 Biblios was initially used to describe the outer coat of the papyrus reed that grew along the Nile River in Egypt around eleventh century B.C., but was used by Christians around the fourth century A.D. to refer to the Sacred Writings. 17 The Bible has two main parts-Old 18 and New 19 Testaments-which gives the description of the work of God in the world, and his single-mindedness with all creation. It discloses as a boundless love story between God and humankind who happens to be the object of his love. 20 The Bible outlines the story of a nation-Israel-and a man-Jesus Christ-into the world. The book gives an account of how the nation Israel was established, how God chose them to make known to his character and purposes to the world, and how Jesus Christ-the Messiah-from the descendants of King David came to complete Israelites expectations and bring into being the Christian church. 21 The nation Israel was a means God used to introduce Jesus Christ into the world. The Bible outlines details of the coming of Jesus Christ, his stay and works on earth, and death as well as his ascension, abiding intercession and his second coming. It brings out truth about the creator God, the world and humankind through a series of literary genres to make readers know God individually, revere and serve him. 22 In a nutshell, Jesus Christ is the central figure of the Bible, for the entire book talks about him. While the first part of the book-Old Testament-gives a prediction of the coming of Jesus and sets the stage for his coming into the world, the other part-New Testament-gives a description of his entrance into world to deal with sin and to bring salvation to humanity. The book outlines some principles or values that followers of Jesus Christ must hold as important and live by them according to God's directions.
Knowing what reading is and what the Bible contains from the above discussions can help to explain what Bible reading is all about. Bible reading, as an activity with a purpose, could be defined as the process of identifying series of written symbols in God's word, and ascertaining their meaning from them. In other words, Bible reading involves recognising written or printed words of the Bible and understanding their meaning. It helps users of the Bible to read about Jesus Christ-his entrance into the world, his stay and works on earth, and death as well as his ascension, abiding intercession and his second coming; he is the central figure. This exercise is done either silently or aloud by Bible readers and users to be able to identify some principles or values that followers of Jesus Christ hold as important, and live by them.
The Bible, which is made up of books are divided into 1,189 chapters and 31,102 verses for some reasons. 23 Aside helping in reading and studying the Bible, chapters and verses give the Bible a structure that readers can grasp. They make it easy for Bible users to locate a text within the shortest possible time as well as help to break down long passages into manageable, relatively uniform parts. In other words, a biblical text has been codified with "chapter number" and "verse number" for easy location and referencing. Before the text is located and read, the "chapter number" is mentioned first, and followed by the "verse number"; making the chapter and verse numbers the key to identify the text. As is seen in the English Bibles, for example, the Gospel according to Saint John chapter three verse sixteen is assigned to: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (NKJV). In situations where chapter and verse are not read, it is implied in the reading. An example of this is John 3:16 which is read as John chapter 3 verse 16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (NKJV). 16

BIBLE READING IN ASANTE-TWI COMMUNITIES
Ghana, a country in the sub-Saharan of West Africa has more than nine major ethnic groups. 24 The Asante form part of the Akan ethnic group which happens to be the largest of all the ethnic groups. 25 The Asante are native to the Ashanti Region. Asante-Twi is their medium of communication, and it happens to be the mostly spoken language in Ghana. 26 In Ghana, the Akan language is a constellation of vernaculars which include Asante-Twi, Akuapem-Twi, Mfantse, Wassa, Kwahu, Bono, Agona, Akyem, and Akwamu. 27 With numerous linguistic divisions in Ghana, Akan is spoken in nine out of the sixteen regions in Ghana namely, Ashanti,Eastern,Brong Ahafo,Bono East,Ahafo,Oti,Western North,Western,and Central Regions. 28 The Akan language include Asante-Twi, Akuapem-Twi, Agona, Akyem, Mfantse, Kwahu, Wasa, Assin, Denkyira, Buem, and Bron. These dialects are mutually comprehensible, for a considerable amount of vocabulary are found in them. 29 The Anyi (Aowin), Sefwi, Nzema, Ahanta, Efutu/Awutu, and Anum-Kyerepong-Larteh people also speak Akan in addition to their mother-tongue. 30 The 2010 population census in Ghana reveals that the Ashanti (Asante) reading community is made up of 2,823,430 literates 31 ; of which 365,180 people read Ghanaian language, 32 1,968,753 for both English and Ghanaian language, and 30,575 for English, French and Ghanaian language. 33 Thus, more than two million and three hundred thousand 34 in Ashanti region are able to read (and write) in their mother-tongue.
The Asante-Twi Bible readers read the Bible either silently or aloud at church, in their homes, or where ever, especially during church services, family devotions, or wherever, for academic 35 and or spiritual purposes. However, what the reason may be, users of the Bible read by learning new ideas or words from the printed text of God's word.
In Bible reading, the Asante-Twi Bible readers and users read the "chapter number" first, and follow it with the "verse number" before the corresponding text is read. John chapter three verse sixteen (John 3:16) is read in the Asante-Twi language as Asɛmpa no sɛdeɛ Yohane twerɛ maeɛ, ti 36 mmiensa nkyekyɛmu du nsia (Yohane 3:16): "Na sɛdeɛ Onyankopɔn dɔɔ wiase nie, sɛ ɔde ne Ba a ɔwoo no korɔ no maeɛ, na obiara a ɔgye no die no anyera, na wanya daa nkwa" 37 (The Gospel according to John, head three verse sixteen: "For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life").
The reading of chapter as ti is quite problematic, for in the Asante-Twi language ti refers to "head". This defeats Pabellorin assertion that reading helps readers [Asante-Twi reading community] to understand the written word in the language they read. 38 This makes readers of the Asante-Twi Bible to learn and remember vocabulary with different meaning other than what it's used for. That is to say, readers of the Asante-Twi Bible are made to learn a word which does not carry its meaning in the context of Bible reading. Such reading also defeats Jenkins presupposition of getting the literal meaning by way of interpreting ti which is crucial in reading. 39 This prevent users and readers of the Asante-Twi Bible from receiving the right information and discovering of ideas. Jenkins holds that some Asante-Twi readers who know the meaning of ti become "shock of recognition," for the word does carries different meaning in their language.  30 Ekem,Priesthood in Context,27. 31 It includes people from 11 years and above. 32 This is no other language than Asante-Twi, for it is the commonest language spoken in the region. 33 Ghana Statistics Service, 2010 Population Census & Housing Census, 41. 34 Out of 3,719,793 Christians, 2,364,508 is the total number of people who can read Ghanaian language (or Asante-Twi), for that is the commonest language in the region. 35 In such studies, students translate and or interpret biblical texts from their original languages and compare them with their counterpart in the Asante-Twi Bible to know how faithfully translators interpreted the texts. In situations where they seem to differ,

METHODOLOGY
This work uses the analytical method in reading which moves from the large written units of meaning (the text, the sentence) towards their component parts (the word) and then the units without meaning. 41 It sees each sentence or word as an entity which has its own identity and its associated meaning. 42 It focuses on hypothesising about meaning and comprehension activities. 43 Braibant and Gérard assert that this method focuses on memorising sentences which have a meaning and then analysing these texts to progressively isolate the smallest elements. 44 A mixed method for collection of data was employed in this research. Primary data were collected from one hundred and five (154) people; one hundred and fifty (150) were through questionnaires in Amansie Communities-East, West, Central and South-in Ashanti Region, and four (4) were by interviews. Those interviewed were educationists, publishers, scholars, Bible translators, and traditional rulers. Secondary data was obtained from books, dictionaries, journal articles, and any other relevant materials that were useful in the research.

FINDINGS
Hundred and fifty 45 users of the Asante-Twi Bible were sampled to read John chapter three verse sixteen (John 3:16) from the Asante-Twi Bible to identify how the word "chapter" is designated in their reading. They were also asked to give their understanding of the word read as "chapter" in the Asante-Twi language.
The table below shows the findings: From the table, 47 people read "chapter" as ti, representing 31 percent of respondents; 76 people read "chapter" as eti, representing 51 percent of respondents; and 27 people read "chapter" as etire, representing 18 percent of respondents. This points to the fact that there are varied designation for reading "chapter" from the Asante-Twi Bible; some read it as ti, some as eti, and others as etire. From the table above, out of the 47 people who read "chapter" as ti, 39 understood it to mean "head," while 8 understood it differently; out of the 76 people who read "chapter" as eti, 69 understood it to mean "head," while 7 understood it differently; and all the 27 people who read "chapter" as etire understood it to mean "head". In all, 135 out of the 150 respondents who read the text as ti, eti, and etire from the Asante-Twi Bible understood it as "head", and the remaining 15 understood it otherwise. 41 Feyfant and Gaussel, "Reading methods and learning difficulties," 1-15. 42 Feyfant and Gaussel, "Reading methods and learning difficulties," 1-15. 43 Feyfant and Gaussel, "Reading methods and learning difficulties," 1-15.