The terminology of cataloguing and its translation: linguistic, ethical and professional issues

Abstract

The article analyses some critical issues related to the translation of the terminology of cataloguing, and the impact this has on professional language and practice, focusing in particular on some of the choices made in various editions of ISBD standards, in their Italian translations and, subsequently, in the Italian cataloguing rules (REICAT).
The article emphasizes the need to combine expertise in the historical evolution of modern cataloguing rules with a high level of linguistic competence, so as to avoid unclear or overly generic language choices; at the same time, the article underlines that international committees should carefully take into account national ‘localisms’, which are considered ‘valuable clues’ for the detection of flaws and limits in the source texts.