Translation and Romanisation of References

Translation and romanisation of references is the process of converting texts written in non-Latin scripts into texts written in the Latin alphabet. This process plays a vital role in academic research, as it allows researchers and readers from diverse linguistic backgrounds to access and understand information.

The translation and romanisation of Arabic references are particularly important in enhancing access to Arabic knowledge and sources online, enabling scholars worldwide to cite these sources accurately and systematically. Through this process, individuals and institutions at both regional and international levels can benefit from Arabic digital resources more easily and effectively.

Moreover, the translation and romanisation of references strengthen international communication and collaboration among researchers by removing language barriers and facilitating broader access to diverse knowledge. In indexing and archiving, they help organise and catalogue academic content in libraries and databases, thereby improving research efficiency and expanding the use of available scientific sources.

The Modern Journal of Legal Studies (MJLS) adopts the following system for translating and romanising Arabic references into English:

1. Arabic References Containing English Data

If the Arabic reference includes an English translation of the research data (author’s name, title of the research, conference, or publisher’s name), this version is used to prepare the required translated reference. The phrase (in Arabic) is added after the title.

2. Arabic References Without English Data

If scientific references in Arabic journals are not available in English in their original source or any other source, the reference should be fully translated into English. The phrase (in Arabic) is added after the title.

3. Books and Classical Historical Sources

For old Arabic and Islamic references, the romanisation system is applied by converting Arabic letters phonetically into their Latin equivalents to make them readable for English-speaking audiences. For example:

  • Alif (أ) → a
  • Bāʾ (ب) → b
  • Tāʾ (ت) → t

Special sounds:

  • Khāʾ (خ) → kh
  • Ghain (غ) → gh
  • Shīn (ش) → sh

Vowel marks:

  • Short vowels (fatḥa, kasra, ḍamma) are often omitted.
  • Long vowels are represented as:
    • Long Alif (آ) → ā
    • Wāw (و) → ū
    • Yāʾ (ي) → ī
  • Shadda (consonant doubling) is shown by repeating the consonant (e.g., dd) or using special diacritic marks.

Example of Romanisation of an Old Reference

  • Original text: صحيح مسلم
  • Romanisation: Sahih Muslim (in Arabic)

Examples of Translating Arabic References into English

  1. Books
  • Single Author
    • Arabic Reference:
      عبد الله، مجد نعمان "القانون الدولي الإنساني"، الكلية العصرية الجامعية، رام الله، فلسطين، 2023.
    • Translation:
      Abdullah, Majd Nu'man. International Humanitarian Law. Modern University College, Ramallah, Palestine, 2023.
  • Two Authors
    • Arabic Reference:
      عبد الله، مجد نعمان، الشريف، محمود سلامة، "المسؤولية القانونية عن انتهاك حقوق الملكية الفكرية بواسطة الذكاء الاصطناعي التوليدي: التشات جي بي تي نموذجاً"، دار الشامل للنشر والتوزيع، نابلس، فلسطين، 2024.
    • Translation:
      Abdullah, Majd Nu'man, and al-Sharif, Mahmoud Salama. "Legal Responsibility for Violating Intellectual Property Rights by Generative Artificial Intelligence: ChatGPT as a Model." Dar al-Shamil Publishing and Distribution, Nablus, Palestine, 2024.
  1. Theses and Dissertations
  • Arabic Reference:
    أحمد محمد علي، "تأثير التجارة الإلكترونية على السوق المحلي"، رسالة ماجستير غير منشورة، قسم إدارة الأعمال، جامعة القاهرة، 2022.
  • Translation:
    Ahmed Muhammad Ali. "The Impact of E-commerce on the Local Market." Unpublished Master's thesis, Department of Business Administration, Cairo University, 2022.
  1. Scientific Journals and Newspapers
  • Arabic Reference:
    علي حسن، "التحولات الاقتصادية في القرن الواحد والعشرين"، "مجلة الاقتصاد العالمي"، بيروت، العدد 12، يناير 2023.
  • Translation:
    Ali Hasan. "Economic Transformations in the 21st Century." Journal of Global Economy, Beirut, issue 12, January 2023.
  1. Electronic References
  • Arabic Reference:
    محمد، علي "أحدث تقنيات الذكاء الاصطناعي"، "موقع التكنولوجيا اليوم"، 15 أبريل 2023، www.techexample.com/ai–2023، تم الدخول في 21 مايو 2023.
  • Translation:
    Muhammad Ali. "Latest Artificial Intelligence Technologies." Technology Today Website, 15 April 2023. www.techexample.com/ai-2023. Accessed 21 May 2023.

Order of References

  1. Arabic Sources and References
  • The Holy Qur’an
  • Books of Hadith
  • Arabic books
  • Foreign books
  • Academic theses and dissertations
  • Journals
  • Conference proceeding
  • Reports
  • Statistical sources
  • Cartographic references
  • Personal interviews
  • Internet sources
  1. Foreign References and Translated Arabic References
  • Arabic references are translated and formatted according to the journal’s citation system (The Chicago Manual of Style).
  • The phrase (in Arabic) is added after the title of each translated reference.
  • Translated references are merged with foreign references and arranged alphabetically in English.
  • Foreign and translated references are listed under the heading “References.”