States that kind of reaction. The fact is it doesn’t mean that at all. It’s very wrong to read conclusions into these dialect differences. What about the relationship of one Christian to another? It seems hard to believe and yet I know that some missionaries on deputation were not acceptable to some churches because of their provincial accents. Actually they had merely used the speech with which they had been bom and reared. The same happens with missionaries on the field. For eign languages have many norms which are quite unfamiliar to us. This is why we in Wycliffe Bible Translators require all of our work ers to have linguistic training. This way they can learn much sooner talking in the manner of the people whom they seek to reach. By the way, these courses are open for all missionaries, not just our own work ers. Such experience can make all the difference in the attitude of the tribespeople or nationals. One time I was in the mountains of Mexico traveling along one of the trails. I met a contingent of Mexican soldiers who were checking up on all of the foreigners. They wouldn’t let me pass and I was told I’d have to present myself to the officer who was having his breakfast in an In dian hut beside the trail. I went in and waited for him to finish his meal. Then, presenting my papers, he looked them over. He saw that I was duly authorized by the govern ment and looked me up and down. Finally he asked, “Man, where is your gun?” At that time in this area there had been a lot of antagonism between outsiders and the natives. I started to tell him why, when his Indian host broke in the conversa tion. The explanation, “Why, he doesn’t need a gun! He talks our language!” You see, that small fact that we talked their language put us on their side. While we were for-
municate His message to the people to whom He will send you. May He speak to your heart if you’re one of those who’s been begging off because of some superficial difficulty. CHAPTER FOUR It’s a proven fact that language differences will affect people’s atti tudes towards others, even those who are closely related. In Judges 12:1-7 we have an interesting ac count about an event with spiritual significance. Ephraim was one of the tribes of Israel. Since they settled slightly apart from the others on the west side of Jordan, variances in the speech began to occur. This same process is going on right now all ov er the world. It is what is known as dialect differences. Proud Ephraim would come to help in time of need. When Gilead went ahead, under Jepthah to defeat the Ammonites, the Ephraimites felt left out. They started an altercation with their fel low Israelites from Gilead. After the skirmish the Ephraimites were trying to escape back to their homes on the west side. As they reached Jordan the Gileadites stop ped them. Since it was difficult to recognize them by their physical appearance they asked each one to say “Shibboleth.” Those of Ephraim couldn’t quite get their tongues around the word saying it naturally like those of Gilead. As a result they lost their lives. They failed to make a language distinction. We find this true in the world to day. People react very quickly to dialects. They’re very quick to no tice when someone speaks slightly different from their natural form. The unfortunate part of it is they form unnecessary opinions and atti tudes toward others because of it. Some Americans, listening to a Brit ish accent, may think that the Eng lish were “highhat” or snobbish. Sometimes that particular flavor of British speaking gives one in the Page 14
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