Why a translation from Arabic to Romanian can have multiple correct variants

The core challenge or phenomenon

When translating between two languages with completely different alphabets and distinct phonetic systems (e.g., Arabic → Romanian, Chinese → Romanian, or Russian → Romanian in certain contexts), the process is not a purely semantic translation. Instead, it inherently involves a script-phonetic adaptation (such as transliteration or phonetic transcription). This process does not yield a single, unique ‘correct’ solution; rather, it allows for multiple valid solutions depending on how translators choose to render and approximate characters and sounds from the source language into the target language.

In translations between languages sharing a common alphabet (such as French → Romanian), a proper name or technical term generally remains identical or nearly identical. Conversely, in Arabic → Romanian translations, every Arabic character and sound must be transposed into a Latin equivalent — yet the Romanian language simply does not possess all the phonemes present in Arabic. The reverse is equally true.

A note on general local adaptation

It is important to emphasize that local adaptation does not arise exclusively from differences in alphabets or phonetics. Any translation, even between languages sharing the same alphabet, requires a certain degree of adaptation. Translation is never a mechanical word-for-word replacement, but rather the natural transmission of meaning into the target language and culture. For example:

• Idiomatic expressions: The English idiom „it’s raining cats and dogs” cannot be translated literally into Romanian („plouă cu pisici și câini”), but is functionally adapted as „plouă cu găleata” (it’s pouring buckets) — a literal rendering would sound absurd despite being grammatically correct.
• Official documents and academic degrees: An American „Bachelor’s Degree” has no identically structured counterpart in the Romanian educational framework. Authorized translators render it functionally as „diplomă de licență” because that is the official terminology recognized by Romanian institutions, even though the two educational systems are structurally distinct.
• Units and institutional terms: Similar functional adaptations occur with units of measurement (miles → kilometers), politeness formulas, and institutional bodies without direct local equivalents.

This type of cultural and semantic adaptation exists independently of the writing system and overlaps with graphic/phonetic barriers. In Arabic → Romanian translations, these two phenomena combine: alongside the cultural adaptation applicable to any language pair, there is also the mandatory adaptation imposed by completely different alphabets and phonetics.

Why there is no 1-to-1 equivalence

Three concrete linguistic factors explain why a 1-to-1 equivalence is impossible:

1. Sounds non-existent in the target language

Arabic possesses consonants such as ع (ayn), ح (emphatic ha), and ق (qaf) — pharyngeal or emphatic sounds that have no phonetic equivalent in Romanian. The translator must select the closest approximation, and approximations naturally vary among translators, transliteration schools, and country standards.

2. Short vowels are omitted in standard written Arabic

Standard written Arabic (without diacritics/harakat) omits short vowels; native readers infer them from context and grammatical knowledge. A translator rendering a name or word without explicit context may select different, equally defensible vowel variations.

3. Multiple transliteration conventions exist

Several parallel systems exist for transposing non-Latin alphabets into Latin letters — ranging from academic/bibliographic standards to journalistic and administrative conventions. Each system can produce a slightly different result for the same word. As far as we are aware, Romania does not have a single, legally mandated official standard for transliterating proper names from non-Latin alphabets.

Practical examples of valid variations

• City name (الرياض / سعودي الرياض): Can correctly appear as Riyadh (borrowed from Anglo-Saxon usage) or as Riad (an adaptation closer to natural Romanian and French spelling and pronunciation).
• Ceremonial title (الشيخ): Can be rendered as Sheikh or Șeic.

All of these variants are linguistically correct — none is incorrect. However, they are not identical. The difference between them is not a translation error, but a choice of phonetic approximation.

What translators do in practice

To ensure consistency and legal validity, professional translators follow specific operational steps:

• Consistency first: Translators select a specific convention or approximation and apply it consistently throughout the entire document. Inconsistency (e.g., spelling the same name in two different ways within the same legal document) is the true error, not the choice of Variant X over Variant Y.
• Prioritizing official precedents: Translators verify whether the individual or entity already possesses an officialized transliteration — such as in a passport, previous degree, visa, or civil status document issued by Romanian authorities. If the client has a Romanian ID or a previously translated document, that exact spelling takes priority, regardless of pure linguistic conventions.
• Phonetic and functional adaptation: Translators adapt phonetically rather than literally, ensuring the resulting spelling is natural, legible, and pronounceable in Romanian, making it administratively usable.

Why client verification is mandatory, not optional

The client is the only party who can confirm whether the chosen transliteration aligns with:

• The name as already registered in other official documents (passport, visa, previously translated civil status records).
• The exact spelling already registered with the Romanian institution where the document will be submitted (e.g., if the Territorial Labor Inspectorate (ITM) or a university already holds their name under a specific spelling in their database).

Conclusion

Translating between different alphabets is not a rigid mathematical equation with a single predetermined outcome — it is a careful process of rendering text into local script. Active collaboration between the translation agency and the client is the key step that transforms a linguistically accurate adaptation into a fully functional, legally valid document.