Sonderband 2. International Council on Archives. Dritte Europäische Archivkonferenz, Wien 11. bis 15. Mai 1993. Tagungsprotokolle (1996)
3. Session / Séance. Sharing of Experience and Exchange of Staff / Partage d’Expériences et Echange des Personnes - Thibodeau, Sharon: The Pitfalls of Terminology and linguistic Barriers / Pieges de la Terminologie et Barrieres linguistiques (english 207 - français 217)
12 May/12 mai 1993 Third Working Session/Troisième Séance de travail Sharon Gibbs Thibodeau The Pitfalls of Terminology and linguistic Barriers There was a time when a combination of factors made it extremely difficult for the staff of one archival repository to know anything of the experience of the staff at another, particularly when an international boundary intervened. Now, of course, archivists are much more mobile, and even when air or ground transportation can’t be arranged, all manner of electronic vehicles are available for use. Opportunities for us to be „present“ in each other’s archives are increasing and now we are using these opportunities to establish a new boundary, the one that defines the concepts and actions we have in common. The process of defining the boundary between what we have in common and what we don’t is a process of communication. It naturally involves language, and because, alas, we are not all born speaking the same one, it perforce involves translation among several. Successful translation, in turn, is possible only when a term describing a concept or action in one language is linked to the term describing the same concept or action in another. Translation is challenging at best, particularly for Americans, but it becomes even more so when languages share terms but do not apply those terms to the same concept. The term „archives“ itself provides a good example of translation complexities. It appears in several languages, but may mean something slightly different in each. In Britain and America, the term has been reserved for documentary materials held by an archival repository, but in France the term covers all of the documentary materials resulting from the actions and transactions of an organization, not merely those that have come into archival custody. Thus, to prevent misunderstanding, American archivists must hear „records“ when their French colleagues say „archives“. A similar challenge is presented by the important term „conservation“, which in French refers to the concept of housing, keeping, or maintaining archives and in English refers to the concept of taking action to repair archival materials. Once again, in order to exchange experiences, American archivists must hear „preservation“ when their French colleagues say „conservation“. 207
