A glossary of heraldry (English-Maltese)

Abstract

After I finished my Bachelor’s degree in Maltese, I chose to further my studies in translation. This course helped me continue where I had left off in my Maltese studies, and the theory and practical course units guided me to better understand different aspects of translation, like the translator’s approach to translation, different types of translation texts and also a translator’s struggles. The translator’s work has brought in new terminology that not only aids communication, but also assists in the role. The subject matter on which the dissertation is based is heraldry. Malta still has a distinguished heraldic history, together with present civic heraldry and vexillology established on our islands. This dissertation amasses a collection of one hundred and fifty heraldic terms, translated from English to Maltese. Several resources, including bilingual and specialised dictionaries, were used in the compilation of this collection and the analysis presented. These resources were used to achieve clarity and conciseness. The dissertation is divided into six chapters. The first covers the history of our language, alongside the history of heraldry and heraldic use in Malta. Then, it discusses lexicology, translation and technical translation as well as central aspects of translation theory, such as ‘equivalence’. The second chapter explains the methodology used in this study, by giving a description of the research method followed in compiling, translating and analysing the terms. Subsequently, chapter three is the glossary of the terms, with the definition, translation and analysis of each of the one hundred and fifty terms. Chapter four then gives a complete list of the terms and their equivalents. The two lists indicate the equivalent translated terms in English – Maltese and Maltese – English parallel to one another, together with a page reference for each term. Afterwards, chapter five discusses the difficulties encountered during the translation process, and the decisions taken. The concluding chapter presents a summary of the observations made throughout the study, and discusses what can be done in the future by proposing further work in the field of terminology.