What does transliteration mean?
Transliteration is the practice of rendering a word, name, or text in a different writing system. It generally preserves the pronunciation or recognizable sound pattern of the original rather than translating its meaning. For example, a name written in Arabic, Greek, or Devanagari may be transliterated into Latin letters for use in an English-language catalogue or historical study. Transliteration systems vary in how closely they represent individual sounds, so the same source text can receive different spellings under different conventions. The word is especially important in linguistics, translation, bibliography, genealogy, and the study of historical documents. It should not be confused with transcription, which generally records the sounds of speech in a designated symbol system. Transliteration is also distinct from translation: changing a word’s script does not normally entail explaining or replacing its meaning.
nounThe process or result of rendering a word, phrase, or text in a different writing system, especially by adapting its spelling to represent the sounds of the original language. A transliteration may also refer to the resulting adapted form.
- The process of writing a word or text in a different writing system.
- A word, name, or text rendered in another writing system.
- The conversion of a text from one script into another for scholarly, linguistic, or practical purposes.
"The transliteration of the name was printed in Latin letters so that it could be read by speakers of several languages."
"The museum provided a transliteration of the inscription alongside an English translation."
"Modern scholars often use a simplified transliteration when discussing names from historical Persian records."
The standard regular plural is used for multiple rendered forms or examples of transliteration.
"The guide lists several different transliterations of the same personal name."
Transliteration makes writing portable: it lets a name or text cross alphabets without losing much of its sound.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does transliteration come from?
The English word entered use in the 19th century, drawing on the Latin transliteratio, meaning a transferring of letters. It was formed from trans-, meaning across, and littera, letter. The same Latin root underlies cognates such as transcribe, transcription, literal, literature, and literary, all reflecting ideas connected with letters or writing.
Related word forms
How transliteration is actually used
The word is common in linguistics, translation, biography, bibliography, and the study of names. It usually denotes a letter- or sound-based conversion between scripts rather than a translation of meaning; the level of phonetic detail varies by convention.
Easily confused with transliteration
Transliteration converts writing from one script to another, while transcription represents spoken language in symbols according to a particular transcription system.