Mistransliteration

Mistransliteration is the incorrect rendering of non-Latin scripts into Latin letters, typically arising when a transliteration rule is misapplied, when translation and transliteration are confused, or when automated systems introduce errors. It lies at the interface of transliteration (phonetic or orthographic rendering of one script in another) and translation (rendering meaning in another language). Unlike faithful transliteration, mistransliteration produces forms that are misleading, inconsistent, or nonstandard.

Causes include the use of unclear or conflicting transliteration standards, mixing schemes within a single text, typographical or OCR errors, and algorithmic mistakes in computer-assisted transliteration or machine translation pipelines. Human factors such as limited language familiarity and insufficient quality control also contribute. In digital contexts, automatic systems may mis-map phonemes, diacritics, or digraphs, leading to forms that do not reflect the source script's conventional rendering.

In practice, mistransliteration can arise when editors substitute one scheme for another without clear justification, or when crowd-sourced or fan-produced texts apply nonstandard renditions for stylistic effect. Examples include using Beijing and Peking interchangeably in the same article, or rendering the Cyrillic Moscow as both “Moskva” and “Moscow” without a justified basis. Other cases include inconsistent Arabic or Hebrew transliterations in the same text, or software outputs that vary between schemes for the same proper name.

Mitigation involves employing a single, well-documented transliteration standard, clearly labeling the scheme used, and maintaining original script alongside the transliteration. Editorial review, glossaryes of preferred forms, and consistency checks in publishing or digital workflows also help reduce mistransliteration. See also transliteration, romanization, and transliteration standards.