Translating « Les langues finiront »

A book on the plurality of languages, translated into majority and minoritized languages.

The book starts from a question: what does it mean, for theology, that the Word of God reaches us only through human languages, in the plural, and that some of these languages are minoritized? Translating it is not external to the book: it extends it. Its reflection continues in contact with other languages, their resources and their resistances. Each target language brings out distinctions that French marks little, makes others less immediate, and forces the question of what, in the text, is truly untranslatable.

The versions

All versions are made directly from the French reference text. They are working versions: none is published.

• Portuguese (Brazil)portuguêsLínguas divinasMost advancedComplete and typeset. Awaiting a native speaker’s review.
• Japanese日本語諸言語は終わるComplete first draftComplete translation, to be reviewed by a native speaker.
• Korean한국어언어들은 끝나리라PartialIntroduction and chapter I.
• DutchNederlandsDe talen zullen ophoudenPartialIntroduction and chapter I.
• Norwegian (bokmål)norsk bokmålSpråkene skal ta sluttPartialIntroduction and chapter I.
• ItalianitalianoLe lingue finirannoIntroduction, chapters I-V and conclusionFirst working translation of the introduction, chapters I to V and the conclusion.
• GermanDeutschGöttliche SprachenNew complete translationTranslation of the reference text (first proofs of 29 October 2026), with a checking log.
• EnglishEnglishDivine TonguesNew complete translationTranslation of the reference text (first proofs of 29 October 2026), with a checking log.
• SpanishespañolLenguas divinasFirst complete translationTranslation of the reference text (first proofs of 29 October 2026), with a checking log.
• OccitanoccitanLas lengas falirànNew complete translationTranslation of the reference text (first proofs of 29 October 2026), with a checking log.
• CatalancatalàLlengües divinesFirst complete translationTranslation of the reference text (first proofs of 29 October 2026), with a checking log.
• FinnishsuomiJumalalliset kieletFirst complete translationTranslation of the reference text (first proofs of 30 October 2026), with a checking log.
• CzechčeštinaBožské jazykyFirst complete translationTranslation of the reference text (first proofs of 30 October 2026), with a checking log.

Method

1. One reference text. All versions are made from the same dated, revised French text.
2. A working translation, made by the author, including, depending on the target language, with the help of artificial intelligence and machine translation tools.
3. Work on the sources. Depending on the language, the author has tracked down the originals of quotations, or their published translations in the target language, to cite them with their references rather than retranslate them.
4. A check. Comparison with the reference text, listing omissions, additions and terminological choices.
5. Explicit decisions. Difficult points are decided by the author and recorded, never settled silently.
6. Review by a native speaker, required before any publication.

The texts are not freely accessible. Reading access, with the French alongside, can be opened on request to people who offer to review.