Chad Survey
There we stood, face to face with a crowd of Chadian men, waiting for an elder to make the first move. They needed direction from the chief. Should they shake our hands, smile at us, or simply ignore us completely? Culturally, men don’t approach or acknowledge women. Katharina, my co-surveyor, was shocked the first time an African man flatly refused to greet her because she was a woman. That’s when I realized I had adapted; it doesn’t surprise me any more, but I find it amusing.
On the day that we found ourselves among the Chadian men, we were in our third week of surveying groups in central Africa. In language survey, we travel to towns and villages listening to and recording different languages and dialects.
Cultural Lessons on the Road
We learned many valuable cultural lessons during the first two weeks as we traveled more than 1,000 miles on roads that made speeds of 25 mph seem reckless. We discovered the desert sun is not the only source of warmth in central Africa. Many people warmly welcomed us as we traveled from place to place. One village offered us chay, sweet Chadian tea, but no food or water for the night. Katharina and I were also becoming more and more comfortable living in lafiais, a five-meter length of material that women wrap around themselves, and which tends to unwrap itself at the most inappropriate times!
As we went from village to village, we studied the language patterns of that area, seeking to determine whether or not a Bible translation is needed for the people there. Going into the survey trip, we thought Runga was the dominant language in the area. What we learned during those two weeks is that many of the Runga children no longer learn to speak that language, but more commonly learn Chadian Arabic as their mother tongue. However, in some related villages, the women and children do not speak Chadian Arabic at all. So the important question we needed to answer was: which language should be used to reach the Runga people with the gospel of Jesus Christ? Which language would be the best choice for a New Testament translation? It didn’t appear as though any one language would adequately reach all segments of the Runga group.
Sociolinguistics under a tree
In our third week we focused entirely on Chadian Arabic. We were trying to line up interviews with leaders of nomad groups in the area to gather conclusive language data. That was how we came to be face to face with this group of men quietly sitting under a tree. We all waited, averting our eyes, wishing the chief would arrive soon. As we lingered in the shade, more and more men approached and solemnly greeted one another. The group seemed unusually somber. To our dismay we soon discovered they were coming to attend a funeral! Suddenly, the idea of doing a sociolinguistic survey with them no longer seemed appropriate. But how could we gracefully get out of it now? The chief finally arrived and insisted, “Now that you are here, we want to hear why you have come. What do you have to say to us?”
We had no choice. We explained why we were there, asked our questions, and filled in the questionnaires. In spite of the awkward situation, the men were very helpful. We just wanted to get the information we needed and retreat as quickly and politely as possible. 
Although I’ve adapted in many ways, I’m not African. I still smile when I think of that awkward afternoon we spent under the tree in Chad.
Survey is foundational to translation work and shows where the need is most critical. After the survey, decisions can be made on where to allocate resources for translation and literacy work.
Read another story about survey.
(Story written by Elaine Bombay.)
