The technical language of bibliotherapy in conceptual and linguistic transfer in Italy

Abstract

This article aims to analyse the main terminology relating to bibliotherapy as a discipline and the nomenclature used by professionals, examining the original terms that originated in the English language.

It will become clear that the ambiguity of the term ‘bibliotherapy’ needs to be carefully considered, as it carries a medical connotation that is not well tolerated in educational and cultural circles, and is therefore sometimes replaced with more or less relevant synonyms. For the same reason, the distinction between professionals in the medical field and those in the humanities must be unambiguous, and because of that, linguistic and cultural analysis in the transition from one language to the other is necessary. In this regard, the use of the title ‘bibliotherapist’ for medical professionals and ‘bibliotherapy facilitator’ for humanities professionals (librarians, teachers, counsellors, socio-cultural operators, philosophers and coaches) provides a much-needed clarity of roles. Areas of application also need to find a correct correspondence in Italian, in order to reduce ambiguity as much as possible where bibliotherapy is practised. Cultural activities cannot be labelled as bibliotherapy, nor can bibliotherapy be considered as a medical activity in contexts where it is pertinently based onto the humanities.

It is natural that a discipline arisen in a different socio-cultural context needs to adapt to its new context of application, and a correct translation of the related nomenclature can facilitate cultural accommodation, which is in full development in Italy.