Transliteration Principles and Systems

Transliteration: Principles and Systems

• Transliteration is the representation of written characters of one language by the characters of another language.
• Different languages have different equivalents for Russian letters, resulting in various transliteration systems.
• Major systems for transliterating Russian words into English include BSI, ISO, LC, and PCGN.
• The preferred system for transliteration should closely approximate the source language word.
• Transliteration and transcription can compete, but transliteration is preferred in bibliographical citations.
• Modern vs. outdated traditions and national traditions can affect the form of a name in transliteration.
• Chinese words can have two English scripts due to the Wade-Giles and Pinyin systems.
• The Pinyin system has official standing in China and is used for telegrams, mass media, and education.
• When translating Chinese words, it is recommended to consult special charts of transliteration Chinese syllables.
• The main principles of correspondence between English and Russian syllables in transliterating Chinese words include ng, n, and voiced vs. voiceless consonants.
• The Russian Ж corresponds to the Pinyin R or Wade-Giles J (before front vowels), and care should be taken not to confuse the Pinyin palatalized J (Wade-Giles CH) corresponding to the Russian ЦЗ.
• The Pinyin palatalized X is equal to the Wade-Giles HS and corresponds to the Russian С, while the Pinyin palatalized Q is equal to the Wade-Giles CH and corresponds to the Russian Ц.