Here's a breakdown:
* Focus on pronunciation: The goal is to capture how the word sounds, not necessarily how it's written in its original language.
* Using different letters: Transliteration involves using the letters of the target language (the one you're translating into) to represent the sounds of the source language (the one you're translating from).
* Not translation: Transliteration is not about translating meaning. It simply converts the written form of a word or text, preserving its pronunciation as closely as possible.
Examples:
* English to Russian: "Hello" would be transliterated as "Привет" (Privet)
* Arabic to English: "سَلام" (Salam) would be transliterated as "Salām"
* Japanese to English: "東京" (Tōkyō) would be transliterated as "Tokyo"
Why is transliteration useful?
* Making foreign words accessible: It allows people who don't speak the source language to pronounce words correctly.
* Understanding foreign texts: Transliteration can help with understanding foreign texts, especially in cases where you're unfamiliar with the script.
* Searching for information: Transliteration can be helpful when searching for information online or in databases, especially when the original script is not supported.
It's important to note that transliteration systems can vary depending on:
* The languages involved
* The specific context
* The desired level of accuracy
Transliteration is a valuable tool for bridging communication gaps and facilitating understanding across language barriers.