Musical Terminology – Problems and Perspectives

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to focus on musical terminology, in particular, on several issues related to the usage of some of the terms used to express European-style musical thinking in the Georgian language:

1. Whether to use terms taken directly from European (Italian and French, sometimes German) languages or transliterate them using the Georgian alphabet;

1. Specifics of using terms necessary for the precise description of the timbre or tessitura of instruments or a singer’s voice;

1. Systematization of articulation marks;

1. Particularities of recently appeared terms.

Ideas for solving existing problems:

1. Develop strategies and tactics to create different types

of dictionaries:

• Terminology Dictionary-Directory;
• Explanatory Dictionary;
• Encyclopedic Dictionary.

1. Set tactical schemes following the strategic plan: Determine the best sequence for creating and publishing the dictionaries, the structure of each dictionary, and which words are needed; gather the material and adjust terms that are widely used in practice but are inaccurate, etc.