Transliteration Challenges of Internationalized Art Lexicon
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69760/portuni.26040013Keywords:
Transliteration, art terminology, linguistic globalization, internationalized lexicon, art education, cultural translation, semantic clarityAbstract
The globalization of art discourse has led to the widespread adoption of specialized terms derived from European languages—particularly English, French, and Italian—into a broad range of linguistic and cultural contexts. As these terms enter non-Latin-script languages such as Arabic, Japanese, and Russian, they are often transliterated rather than translated, preserving phonetic resemblance while potentially obscuring semantic depth. This study explores the linguistic, educational, and cultural consequences of transliterating internationalized art terms in these three languages. Using a qualitative, comparative methodology that draws on academic texts, museum materials, media discourse, and expert interviews, the research identifies patterns of inconsistency, semantic ambiguity, and contextual misalignment in transliterated terms.
Findings reveal that while transliteration enables alignment with global discourse, it frequently results in terminological confusion, especially in educational and curatorial contexts. Arabic transliterations exhibit significant variation and semantic fragmentation; Japanese transliterations are consistent in form but often lack conceptual clarity; and Russian displays a hybrid model that blends transliteration with historical translation practices. The study concludes that transliteration, when left uncontextualized, impairs effective communication and knowledge transmission in the arts. It calls for standardized multilingual glossaries, culturally responsive pedagogy, and greater reflexivity in the adoption of international terminology.
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