Ryan Douglas Kopke, MLE

Affiliate Assistant Professor

Ryan is passionate about engaging others in the worship of God and about working to ensure people have the Bible in their language. He is an active member of Pioneer Bible.

Before teaching linguistics, he did field work in Vanuatu, where he taught Greek, New Testament Exegesis and Translation to translators from four different language groups. He also served as an exegetical and translation advisor.

See: www.canil.ca/wordpress/u_member/ryan-kopke/

  • Masters of Applied Linguistics and Exegesis (Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary at Trinity Western University; 2013)
  • BA Intercultural Studies, emphasis in TESOL (Biola University; 2008)

Expertise

Ryan is interested in the areas of linguistics most closely related to meaning, including semantics, pragmatics and translation.

As a Translation Specialist with Pioneer Bible Translators*

Published Scriptures:

  • 2024. Waratau Siaga Tatuei mo Vilegi (East Ambae Old Testament Panorama)
  • 2017-2019. Portions of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Hosea in the following languages:
    • Raga (Hano, North Pentecost)
    • Apma (central Pentecost)
    • Sa (southern Pentecost)
  • The Gospel According to Matthew ch. 1-7 in Apma and Sa
  • The Book of Jonah in Havai, Raga, Apma, Sa
  • The Epistle to the Galatians in Apma and Sa


In Progress:

  • The Old Testament in the Raga (Hano) language
  • The Holy Bible (66 book protestant canon):
    • in the Sa language
    • in the Apma Language

*Under Vanuatu Bible Translation and Vanuatu Council of Churches, under the supervision of Principal Samuel Vusi, Vanuatu Institute for Scripture Translation and Application with lead expatriate Translation Specialist Gregory Ohrenberg, expatriate Translation Specialist Craig Bennet and lead Literacy Specialist Jordan Kopke. Special thanks to the Seed Company for funding grants.
The translator teams are as follows:
Havai: Fr. Chief Reuben Tari, Ps. Christopher Karu, Elder Micah Viro, Aram Tamata
Hano: Chief Selwyn Garu, Fr. Joseph Atkin, Fr. Allen Boguru, Lorin Sivehi
Apma: Elder Morrie Tabi, Elder Dick Bulemis
Sa: Judith Vusi, Arthur Olul, Carol Tor, Steven Bebe

  • LING 101 Introduction to Linguistics
  • LING 210 Language & Society
  • LING 230 Articulatory Phonetics
  • LING 493/593 Semantics and Pragmatics
  • LING 499/599 Philosophical Perspectives in Linguistics
  • LING 594 Communication and Translation