Factual and symbolic information in educational diplomas. A comparative view on Anglo-Saxon, French, Russian and Romanian documents [articol]

Abstract

The term diploma is largely employed to designate a document assessing qualifications of the recipient, in a variety of contexts. In the 21st century educational systems, diplomas are, nevertheless, subjected to various interpretations, a fact that is highlighted by the fact that instructions, regulations and laws are drafted to describe the content, interpretations and uses of diplomas. While preserving the phonetic and lexical similarity when travelling across languages and cultures, the term diploma develops specific lexical and semantic associations in each of the analyzed languages. Definitions are drawn from major dictionaries of the target languages and conclusions serve to further the understanding of the term for translation, educational and managerial purposes.