Question

Is there a simpler approach to Bible translation?

Tesla’s Application of Occam’s Razor

Tesla faced a massive, patchwork C++ codebase for identifying labelled items in video input for full self-driving. Progress was slow, and scalability for the last 1% of edge cases seemed unattainable.

Then they applied Occam’s razor and shifted to training a model with extensive 360-degree video input and controls output (steering, brake, gas). This approach proved significantly better, improving 5x-10x each month as more video data was uploaded from drivers.

See discussion at 3:42 in this video. Thanks to Birch Champeon for sharing.

Applying Occam’s Razor to Bible Translation

I propose a similar shift in Bible translation.

Currently, we use large legacy apps and newer apps with numerous features and checks. With LLMs and agent-based translation, we can simplify the task.

Starting from first principles: what are the inputs and outputs?

If we move from Greek/Hebrew source texts to a semantic representation, semantics become inputs. A model could then apply these semantics to the collocation and colligation patterns in the target language, possibly by reranking outputs with context awareness.

Like Tesla, we need to crowdsource data to map semantics to target language expressions. One method could involve eliciting translations of semantic units from Greek/Hebrew, displayed in aligned gateway languages familiar to target language speakers.

Synthesizing Crowdsourced Data

However the data is elicited, we need to synthesize crowdsourced data into a coherent whole, i.e., complete, versioned, public domain Bible translations.

Adapting swarm intelligence to Bible translation could be the solution. This would involve numerous agents, each translating small, semantically coherent text units. These translations would be combined and refined by a central agent to ensure consistency and coherence across the translation.

This method would allow a more flexible and scalable translation process, distributing work among numerous agents, each responsible for a manageable portion of the text. This would enable faster, more efficient translation, and greater adaptability to local community needs and preferences.

Every approach has risks and trade-offs, but the prospects of applying Occam’s razor to Bible translation are exciting and promising.