Non-English Language Materials

When cataloging materials in languages other than English, use only records for which the language of cataloging is English (English abbreviations, subject headings, etc.), creating a parallel record in OCLC if necessary. In OCLC, a "language of cataloging" limiter can limit search results to records cataloged in English.

Subject/genre headings

In addition to other subject and genre headings guidelines:

• Except for dictionaries and language-instruction material, if the resource has significant text in two or more languages, add the local genre heading Bilingual books.

655  7 Bilingual books.‡2local

• For motion pictures made outside the United States in a language that is not English, add the local genre heading Foreign films. Delete any 650 or 655 fields with headings in the form Motion pictures, [nationality], unless the item is a work about that topic. (The 257 field is used instead for country of production.)

655  7 Foreign films.‡2local

INCORRECT:
655  0 Motion pictures, French.

655  7 Feature films‡zFrance.

• Optionally, add Spanish subject headings to Spanish-language material. (Note: This only applies to subject headings, typically in a 650 field. Do not add any heading in a 655 field in a language other than English.)

For Spanish-language materials, use only the following thesauri:

Bilindex (‡2 bidex)
QLSP (‡2 qlsp)

Foreign film titles

The preferred source of information for videorecordings is the title screen. Parallel titles proper can be taken from anywhere within the movie or the packaging, with an explanatory note only needed if it comes from a different source than the title proper. (RDA 2.3.3)