ISFDB:Language-Specific Abbreviations

Foreign Language Abbreviations Sorted by Language

Dutch Terms and Abbreviations

Auteurs = Authors
Anthologieën = Anthologies
Engelse - English
Naslag = Reference
Reeksen = Publishers Series
Tijdschriften = Magazines
Titel = Title
vert. van = translation of
vert. door = translated by

Finnish Abbreviations

Sid. = hardcover
Nid. = paperback
Kp. = cover paper
Ns. = leather
p. = edition

German Terms and Abbreviations

Some remarks regarding the different "editor" translations below: German distinguishes between different kinds of editing and editors ("Lektorat", "Redaktion", "Korrektorat" and "Herausgeber"). However, these activities often overlap or can be done by the same person, and they are not used consistently across different publishers. Therefore they don't translate well into English.

Often used plural forms stated in brackets:

Anhang = appendix
Auflage = printing (the n-th print run, for example "2. Auflage" = "2nd printing" or number line "10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2").
Ausgabe = edition (e.g. for different editions of a book) or issue (e.g. for the n-th issue of a magazine or newspaper)
Autor (Autoren) = author
Band (Bände) = volume (as in "volume 3 of The Lord of the Rings")
Bindung = binding
Danksagung = acknowledgments
Edition = edition
Elektronische Ressource = electronic resource
Erzählung (Erzählungen) = means "story" as a general term but is often used meaning "short fiction", e.g. to express that a collection or anthology contains works of short fiction (then mostly in plural form: "Erzählungen")
Erstausgabe = first edition
Gebundene Ausgabe = hardcover
Heft = booklet (nearest approximation: Digest), see 'Perry Rhodan' as most prominent example
Herausgeber = editor (see also "Redaktion" and "Lektor" below). That's the one usually stated as the editor in anthologies. Can also be the editor of a publication series (with other and different people doing the "Lektorat" or the "Redaktion").
Hörbuch = audiobook
Inhalt = contents
Inhaltsverzeichnis = table of contents, list of contents
Kart. ('Kartoniert') = soft cover (paperback or trade paperback)
Korrektor: proofreader, copy editor (see also "Lektor" and "Korrektorat")
Korrektorat: the activity of proofreading, copy editing
Kurzgeschichte = short fiction (usually a "short story" or "novelette", but not a "novella")
Lektor: an editor acting as a mentor or advisor for the author and the publisher. Suggests changes to a story, looks for plot holes. Can also be the one doing proofreading (see also "Korrektorat","Redaktion" and "Herausgeber")
Lektorat: editing, proofreading (for the activity of a "Lektor", see above). Not to be mixed up with another possible translation "editorial office", which is the group of employees (the staff) working in the "Lektorat" department of a publisher)
Magazin = magazine
Nachwort = afterword
Novelle = novella (German doesn't distinguish between "novella" and "novelette", see also "Kurzgeschichte" above)
Originalausgabe = original edition
Paperback = most often means trade paperback (note the difference between German and English: what's called a "Paperback" in German is a "trade paperback" in English!)
Pp = Pappband = hardcover
Preis = price
Redakteur (Redakteure) = editor (see also "Herausgeber" and "Lektor" above)
Redaktion = editing (for the activity of editing). Not to be mixed up with another possible translation "editorial staff", which is the group of employees (the staff) working in the editor department of a publisher.
Reihe = publication series (e.g. "Heyne Science Fiction & Fantasy")
Roman = novel
Sammelband = anthology or omnibus
Satz: typesetting (apart from that also means "sentence" in a text)
Seite (Seiten) = page
Serie = title series, e.g. "Perry Rhodan"
Schutzumschlag = jacket, dust jacket (for hardcovers)
Sprache = language
Taschenbuch = paperback (see also the comment for "Paperback" above)
Titelillustration = cover art
Tonträger = recording
Übersetzer = translator
Übersetzung = translation
Umschlag = cover (usually meaning front and back cover and spine together), see also "Schutzumschlag"
Umschlaggestaltung = cover design
Verlag = publisher, press
Vollständig = complete, entire
Vorschau = preview
Vorwort = foreword, preface

Polish Terms and Abbreviations

nakład = number of copies printed
okł. = okładka = cover
posłowie = afterword
projekt = design
przedmowa = foreword
red. = redaktor = editor
seria = series
sp. z o.o. = Ltd./LLC/Pty
str. = pages
tłum. = tłumacz/tłumaczenie = translator/translation
Warszawa = Warsaw
wstęp = foreword, introduction
wybór = selection
wyd. = wydawnictwo = Publisher; or wydanie = edition

Portuguese Terms and Abbreviations

Brochura = paperback
Capa dura = hardcover
Paginas = pages
Romance = Novel
Colectânea = Collection
Colecção de contos interligados = Collection of linked stories
Antologia = Anthology

Russian Terms and Abbreviations

Gos. Izdat. = Gosudarstvennoe Izdate'stvo = State Publishing House
Izdatel'skiy dom = publishing house
Izd-vo = Izdatelstvo = publisher
Lit-ra = Literatura = literature
per. = perevodchik = translator
str. = stranitz[y] = pages
tv. = tvyordaya oblozhka = hardcover

Swedish Terms and Abbreviations

adl. = afdelning = section/part
aftryck. = copy, print, impression
arg. = argang = arlig. = annual
bd. = band = volume
bearb. = bearbetad = revised
bihang. = appendix
bil. = bilaga = supplement
bok, pl. bocker = book(s)
bokforl(ag) = publishing house
bokf orlaggare = publisher(s)
bokforteckning(ar) = catalog(s)
boktr. = boktryckeri = printing house
dyl. = dylik = the same as, similar
fig. = figur(er) = illustration(s)
foljd. = series
forbattrad upplaga = revised edition
fori = forfattar = author
fori = forlaggare = publisher
förord = preface
forteckn. = forteckning(ar) = list(s), index(es), catalog(s)
genomsedd = revised
h. = hfn. = hafte = number, part
inb. = inbunden = bound
inledning = introduction
innehall. = contents
kartonerad = bound in boards
kart. = karta = map
kart. = kartong = board binding
klotb. = klotband = cloth binding
kr. = kron (currency)
ldrbd. = laderband = leather binding
lyxband = de luxe binding
m. m. med mera = et cetera
notis = note
noter = notes
nummer = number
numrerad = numbered
"o." = och = and
"o" as a prefix means "not", e.g. "opaginerad" = unpaginated
ofvers. = ofversatt = translated
oillustr. = oillustrerad = without illustrations
omarb. = omarbetad = revised
omar-betad upplaga = revised edition
omkr. = omkring = circa, about
onumrerad = unnumbered
opag. = opaginerad = unpaginated
ore = currency until, about 1 cent
orig. = original
pagina = page(s)
paginering = pagination
papper = paper
perm(ar) = board covers, covers
ppbd. = papband = board binding
pris = price
prgtbd. = pragtband = de luxe binding
redaktor = editor
redaktorer = editors
redig. = redigerat = edited
saml. = samlade = samling = samlade = collected
samling(ar) = collection
sid. = sida = page
sidor = pages
signerat = signed
skildr. = skildring(ar) = sescription(s)
skr. = skrift(er) = work(s) or writing(s).
sp. = spalt(er) = column(s)
ss. = sidor = pages
sv. =svensk = Swedish
tafia = plate
taflor = plates
teckn. = teckning(ar) = drawing(s)
tidskr. = tidskrift(er) = periodical(s)
tillagg = appendix(es)
tr. = tryckt = printed
tryck = print
tryckort = place of printing/publishing
ungef. = ungefar = about, circa
uppl. = upplaga = edition
upplagor = editions
utan = without
utan ar = without year
utan or = without place of publication
utan titelblad = without title page
utarb. = utarbetad = compiled
utgifva = edition
utgifven = edited
utgifvare = editor(s)
utk. = utkomma = appeared, issued
volym = volume
volumer = volumes