Language is a system of representation. When languages with different writing systems interact, challenges arise in how to represent words and sounds from one language using the script of another. Two key methods that address this challenge are transliteration and transcription. They are two distinct but complementary linguistic processes that facilitate communication across languages and scripts. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they refer to different processes with unique purposes. This article explores the principles, differences, and practical uses of transliteration and transcription, highlighting their importance in facilitating cross-linguistic communication.

What is Transliteration?

Transliteration is the process of converting written text from one writing system or alphabet into another, focusing primarily on preserving the original pronunciation rather than translating meaning. Unlike translation, which conveys meaning, transliteration allows readers unfamiliar with a script to approximate the sounds of words in their alphabet. For example, the Arabic greeting "مرحبًا" is transliterated as "marhaban" to guide pronunciation for those who do not read Arabic script. There are two main approaches to transliteration:

1. Phonetic transcription: Emphasises how words sound, using letters or symbols familiar to the reader to replicate pronunciation as closely as possible.
2. Orthographic transliteration: Focuses on preserving the original word's structure and spelling as closely as possible, even if this does not perfectly reflect pronunciation. While transliteration ensures phonetic consistency across scripts, it does not guarantee comprehension of the word’s meaning. It serves primarily as a tool for pronunciation and accessibility in multilingual contexts.

What is Practical Transcription?

Transcription, on the other hand, is the representation of speech sounds. It focuses on how words are pronounced, rather than how they are spelt. In practical transcription, the aim is to provide a clear and readable representation of the spoken form of a word using a familiar script, often for learners, travellers, or in dictionaries. Practical transcription differs from phonetic transcription, which uses specialised symbols (like the International Phonetic Alphabet, IPA) to capture fine-grained details of pronunciation. Practical transcription tends to balance accuracy with simplicity and readability. For example:

• The Chinese word "北京" (which means "Beijing") is transliterated as Beijing, but its pronunciation is closer to [peɪ˨˩ tɕiŋ˥], which can only be accurately represented using IPA.
• The Hindi word "नमस्ते" is transcribed as namaste, capturing the pronunciation rather than the Devanagari spelling.

Key Differences Between Transliteration and Transcription

• Script vs. sound: Transliteration focuses on representing the original script, whereas transcription prioritises the sounds and pronunciation of the target language.
• Accuracy vs. readability: Transliteration strives for linguistic accuracy, often at the expense of readability, whereas transcription balances phonetic accuracy with readability and cultural relevance.
• Standardisation: Transliteration often relies on standardised systems, whereas transcription may vary depending on regional or cultural preferences.

Applications of Transliteration and Transcription

Transliteration is used in:

• Linguistics: Comparative studies of language scripts.
• Library science: Cataloguing books with foreign titles.
• Computing: Inputting text in languages with non-Latin scripts using Latin keyboards.
• Biblical and classical studies: Rendering Hebrew, Greek, or Sanskrit into Roman script.

Practical transcription is used in:

• Language teaching: Helping learners pronounce foreign words.
• Tourism: Translating place names and signs for travellers.
• Media: Subtitling and transliteration of foreign names or terms.
• Speech technology: Voice recognition systems and pronunciation dictionaries.

In summary, transliteration converts text between alphabets to maintain phonetic consistency, aiding pronunciation and accessibility, whereas practical transcription converts spoken language into written text to document and make speech accessible and understandable. Each plays a vital role in bridging languages and scripts, supporting communication, cultural exchange, and information preservation.