Hopwood, Llewelyn; Dafydd, Guto; Turnbull, Jenna; Mitchell, Andrew; Oberman, Tin; Kang, Jian; Aletta, Francesco; (2026) Proposed Welsh translations for soundscape attributes. Applied Acoustics , 245 , Article 111199. 10.1016/j.apacoust.2025.111199.

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Abstract

ISO/TS 12913-2:2018 (Method A) proposes a standardized method for collecting data on soundscape perception via questionnaires that use eight perceptual attributes: Pleasant, Calm, Uneventful, Monotonous, Annoying, Chaotic, Eventful, Vibrant. The Soundscape Attributes Translation Project (SATP) seeks to provide translations for these attributes to facilitate data collection in places where English is not the primary or only language. This includes Wales, which has two official languages: English and Welsh. Furthermore, soundscapes is a recently legislated area of Welsh Government environmental policy, and so data collection is due to increase in Wales, including via ISO/TS 12913-2:2018 (Method A), as recommended by the Government. Therefore, Welsh Language translations of the eight attributes are needed. This article proposes said translations, developed through four phases of research: linguistic research by the Welsh Government’s Translation Service; a workshop attended by non-specialist Welsh-speaking civil servants; a review stage that included bibliographic research; and a second, informal, consultation with Government translators. Results detail the issues of comprehensibility and semantic suitability that arose when discussing translations, including discussions of English loanwords, cf. ‘Chaotic’, and the unfamiliarity of ‘eventfulness’ as a concept. Single word translations are suggested for four of the terms in the final proposed set, which consists of: Dymunol/Pleserus, Llonydd, Digynnwrf/Diddigwydd, Undonog, Niwsans/Amhleserus, Cynhyrfus/Llawn digwydd, Caotig, Bywiog. The article closes with suggestions for how the provisional translations ought to be tested and validated at a future date and highlights how the data generated may be useful when involving other Celtic languages in the SATP as well as the unique opportunity that Welsh offers in that all its speakers are naturally bilingual in Welsh and English, thereby allowing for comparison between the two languages without having to compare different sets of contributors.

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