Translating RDA into French : Challenges and Insights Daniel Paradis and Pat Riva Direction du traitement documentaire des collections patrimoniales

IAML Outline Partnership and organisation Translation methodology Challenges Logistical Linguistic Internationalisation of RDA Insights and lessons learned Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Why translate RDA into French? RCAA2 used by Canadian French-language libraries LAC policy: Canadian implementation of RDA requires French version BAnQ catalogues in French only BnF studying adoption of RDA Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Partners 1 association + 3 national libraries Association pour l’avancement des sciences et des techniques de la documentation (ASTED) Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) Library and Archives Canada (LAC) Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Editorial Committee Chaired by Executive Director of Asted Meets monthly Videoconferences and then teleconferences Role is: Make policy decisions Agree on division of the work Discuss any complicated points and come to consensus Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Sharing the Work Chapters (Sections) claimed by each partner Done by staff in the 3 national library partners BnF : standards and cataloguing librarians BAnQ : cataloguing librarians LAC : standards and cataloguing librarians Done by a professional translator on behalf of ASTED Examples adapted for a French catalogue by BAnQ Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Translation Principles Translate only into mother tongue Review drafts by a partner in the other continent ensures the usability of the text by cataloguers of all the partner countries and the avoidance of regional terminology Remain faithful to the text, but adapt instructions assuming use in a French-language cataloguing agency References to IFLA documents Examples adapted Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Methodology Started with Content type, Media type, Carrier type terms Glossary, terms and definitions Recurring phrases Apply the instructions given under … "Test" chapters Translation phase Revision phase PDFs from ALA Publishing for proofreading Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Timeline Aug. 10, 2010, first meeting in Gothenburg June 2011, Glossary and Phrases done July 2011, first translations ready for revision Early 2012, last translations done At present, revision phase Testing in the Toolkit and adjustments Ongoing, integration of amendments Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Logistical Challenges Order of work Interaction of glossary with chapters When to do the Element set, the Index? Availability of staff to do the work No one is on the project full-time The fine art of compromise An equal partnership works by consensus There is no Editor-in-chief with executive power Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Linguistic Challenges French title of RDA French usage Cataloguing related terminology Regional usage “City, town” should this be: Commune, villeor Municipalité, ville Gender and number agreement English neologisms Synonyms in English only Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Cataloguing related terminology Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec RDACanada (RCAA2)France condensed scorepartition réduitepartition condensée continuo basse continue keyboard instrument instrument à clavier clavier labelétiquettelabel rpmr/mint/min SelectionsExtraits [for music] Choix

IAML Issues of gender and number agreement Preferred Title for the Work The title or form of title chosen as the basis for the authorized access point representing that work. Titre privilégié de l'œuvre Le titre ou la forme du titre choisi [choisie? choisi(e)? choisis?] pour servir d’élément de base du point d’accès autorisé représentant cette œuvre. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Synonyms in English only Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec Individual Instruments cello or violoncellovioloncelle cor anglais or English horn cor anglais double bass (not bass viol or contrabass) contrebasse double bassoon or contrabassoon contrabassoon kettle drums or timpanitimbales

IAML Linguistic Challenges : Examples Some examples do not work once adapted In chapter 6 (Works and expressions) Nutcracker (Choreographic work) NuTCRACKER (Computer file) Casse-Noisette (Œuvre chorégraphique) NuTCRACKER (Fichier informatique) Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Linguistic Challenges : Examples In chapter 16 (Places) Livorno/Leghorn English form no longer in common usage, no such change in French. Romania/Roumania Variant spellings in English, only one spelling, Roumanie, in French. In chapter 11 (Corporate Bodies) : example of Swiss National Library Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Linguistic Challenges : Examples Some examples had to be changed in the original version in English Punctuation Add punctuation, as necessary, for clarity. Marcel Marceau, ou, L’art du mime changed to Travaillez mieux, vivez mieux Each word of the title appears on a separate line on the source of information Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Internationalisation of RDA Internationalisation is incomplete Abbreviations for units of measurements in Appendix B abbreviations for hour, minute and second are not ISO symbols abbreviations for revolutions per minute (rpm) and inches per second (ips) do not respect SI writing conventions Structure of Appendix A for capitalisation Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

IAML Insights and Lessons Learned About how to adapt a cataloguing standard into another language About the ingredients of successful cooperation Tips of use to other translation groups Can be applied to ongoing translation of updates Additional recurring phrases, translators glossary Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec

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