Author in Different Languages
Discover 'Author' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The term 'author' holds a revered place in the tapestry of human culture, embodying the essence of creativity, storytelling, and intellectual contribution across time. An author is not just a writer; they are creators of worlds, shapers of thoughts, and the pulse behind cultural and societal shifts. Understanding the significance of the 'author' and its translations into different languages opens a window to the diverse ways cultures celebrate and honor the act of creation. From 'autor' in Spanish to 'auteur' in French, and '作家' (zuòjiā) in Chinese, the linguistic variations embody the universal reverence for storytelling. Fascinatingly, the historical context of the word 'author' traces back to Latin, highlighting the evolution of literature and intellectual property through ages. Knowing the term 'author in different languages' is essential for anyone interested in cultural studies, literature, and the globalization of ideas. Below is a curated list of translations of 'author' that showcases the rich linguistic diversity of our world.
Author
Author in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | skrywer | ||
| Afrikaans skrywers were often influenced by the Dutch literary tradition, using words like "skrywer" (author) which come from Dutch. | |||
| Amharic | ደራሲ | ||
| The word 'ደራሲ' in Amharic has also been used to refer to a 'historian' or 'writer of religious texts'. | |||
| Hausa | marubucin | ||
| "Marubucin" also means "writer" or "scribe" in Hausa, and can refer to someone who produces any type of written work, not just literature. | |||
| Igbo | odee | ||
| The Igbo word "odee" also means "a knowledgeable person" or "an elder". | |||
| Malagasy | mpanoratra | ||
| The word "mpanoratra" can also mean "scribe" or "secretary" in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | wolemba | ||
| The word "wolemba" in Nyanja (Chichewa) is derived from the verb "lemba", meaning "to write", and can also refer to a student or scholar. | |||
| Shona | munyori | ||
| In some instances, ‘munyori’ may refer to people who create artistic works. | |||
| Somali | qoraa | ||
| Qoraa derives from Arabic 'qara' meaning 'read', reflecting the oral tradition of sharing stories before writing became widespread. | |||
| Sesotho | mongoli | ||
| This word, which also means "the one who knows," comes from the root "-ongo," meaning "to know, to understand." | |||
| Swahili | mwandishi | ||
| The Swahili word "mwandishi" can also mean "scribe," "recorder," or "writer." | |||
| Xhosa | umbhali | ||
| The word "umbhali" can also refer to a person who writes down traditional stories and songs. | |||
| Yoruba | onkowe | ||
| The word "onkowe" in Yoruba can also mean "a person who tells a story or composes songs or poems" | |||
| Zulu | umbhali | ||
| The Zulu word "umbhali" also means "one who has the ink" or "one who is soaked in ink". This is because, in the past, people would often write with ink made from plants or tree bark. | |||
| Bambara | wálebaga | ||
| Ewe | nuŋlɔla | ||
| Kinyarwanda | umwanditsi | ||
| Lingala | mokomi | ||
| Luganda | omuwandiisi | ||
| Sepedi | mongwadi | ||
| Twi (Akan) | ɔtwerɛfoɔ | ||
Author in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مؤلف | ||
| The word "مؤلف" in Arabic can also mean "composer" or "writer", and is derived from the root word "ألف" meaning "to compose". | |||
| Hebrew | מְחַבֵּר | ||
| The term מְחַבֵּר in Hebrew can also refer to a compiler or editor of a work. | |||
| Pashto | لیکوال | ||
| The word "لیکوال" can also refer to a writer or a composer. | |||
| Arabic | مؤلف | ||
| The word "مؤلف" in Arabic can also mean "composer" or "writer", and is derived from the root word "ألف" meaning "to compose". | |||
Author in Western European Languages
| Albanian | autori | ||
| The word 'autori' (author) is derived from the Latin word 'auctor', meaning 'promoter' or 'instigator' of an action, or 'founder' of something. | |||
| Basque | egilea | ||
| The word "egilea" is also used to refer to the person who creates or originates something, such as an artist, composer, or scientist. | |||
| Catalan | autor | ||
| The Catalan word “autor” derives from the Latin term "auctor," meaning “promoter" or "agent." | |||
| Croatian | autor | ||
| The Croatian word 'autor' also means 'the one who drives' a vehicle, derived from the Latin 'auctor' (creator) and the Proto-Indo-European root '*h₂ew-' (to drive). | |||
| Danish | forfatter | ||
| In Danish, the word "forfatter" means not only an "author" but also a "perpetrator" or a "composer". | |||
| Dutch | schrijver | ||
| The word "schrijver" can also refer to a clerk or a secretary. | |||
| English | author | ||
| In Middle English, the word “author” meant someone who makes something new, such as a book. | |||
| French | auteur | ||
| The French word "auteur" originated from the Latin word "auctor," meaning both "author" and "source." | |||
| Frisian | skriuwer | ||
| The Frisian word 'skriuwer' may derive from Middle Dutch and has cognates in West Germanic. | |||
| Galician | autor | ||
| In Galician, "autor" can also mean the person who commits a crime or fault. | |||
| German | autor | ||
| The German word "Autor" comes from the Latin word "auctor" which can also mean "originator," "creator," or "guarantor." | |||
| Icelandic | höfundur | ||
| In Icelandic, "höfundur" also means "source" or "originator," reflecting a broader sense of authorship beyond writing. | |||
| Irish | údar | ||
| "Údar" also signifies "water" in the sense of being pregnant with a child. | |||
| Italian | autore | ||
| It is derived from the Latin word auctor ("originator, creator "), and in Italian, it also means "guarantor" or "sponsor". | |||
| Luxembourgish | auteur | ||
| In Luxembourgish, the word 'Auteur' can also refer to the 'author of a play' | |||
| Maltese | awtur | ||
| "Awtur" in Maltese can also refer to "creator" or "inventor". | |||
| Norwegian | forfatter | ||
| The word 'forfatter' comes from the Old Norse word 'forfatta', meaning 'to compose' or 'to write'. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | autor | ||
| In Portuguese the word "autor" can also mean "license plate holder" in vehicles. | |||
| Scots Gaelic | ùghdar | ||
| The Gaelic word for author, "ùghdar", can also mean "inventor" or "composer". | |||
| Spanish | autor | ||
| In Spanish, 'autor' can also mean 'perpetrator', originating from the same Latin root as 'authority' and 'authenticity'. | |||
| Swedish | författare | ||
| The word "författare" also means "inventor" or "composer" in Swedish. | |||
| Welsh | awdur | ||
| awdur originates from the Latin auctor, meaning 'founder' or 'creator' | |||
Author in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | аўтар | ||
| The word "аўтар" in Belarusian is derived from the Greek word "αυτορ" and also means "instigator". | |||
| Bosnian | autor | ||
| The word 'autor' comes from the Latin word 'auctor', meaning 'one who increases, promotes, or originates something'. | |||
| Bulgarian | автор | ||
| The Russian word "автор" is derived from the Greek word "αυθωρ" (author), which in turn derives from the Greek word "αυτος" (self). | |||
| Czech | autor | ||
| Autor in Czech can also mean "parent" or "ancestor". | |||
| Estonian | autor | ||
| "Autor" in Estonian can also mean "power" or "authority". | |||
| Finnish | kirjailija | ||
| Kirjailija, meaning 'author' in Finnish, also refers to 'scribe' or 'writer' in its etymological origins. | |||
| Hungarian | szerző | ||
| The word "szerző" can also mean "composer" or "writer" in Hungarian. | |||
| Latvian | autors | ||
| In Latvian, the word "autors" can also refer to the source or origin of something. | |||
| Lithuanian | autorius | ||
| In Latin, "auctor" means "guarantor" or "originator". | |||
| Macedonian | автор | ||
| In Old Church Slavonic it was used to denote the "doer, creator, perpetrator, perpetrator", but also the "author, writer" of a text. | |||
| Polish | autor | ||
| In Polish, "autor" can also refer to the "source" or "origin" of something. | |||
| Romanian | autor | ||
| In Romanian, 'autor' also means 'owner', 'originator' or 'maker', indicating the diverse roles one can play in creating a work. | |||
| Russian | автор | ||
| The word | |||
| Serbian | аутор | ||
| The word "аутор" also means "creator" or "source" in Serbian. | |||
| Slovak | autor | ||
| The word "autor" in Slovak can also mean "source" or "cause". | |||
| Slovenian | avtor | ||
| The word "avtor" can also mean "creator" or "inventor" in Slovenian. | |||
| Ukrainian | автор | ||
| The word "автор" ("author") in Ukrainian is also used in the sense of "creator" or "originator". | |||
Author in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | লেখক | ||
| In Bengali, 'লেখক' ('lekhok') can also refer to a composer, scriptwriter, or playwright, highlighting the close association between writing and creative expression. | |||
| Gujarati | લેખક | ||
| The Gujarati word "લેખક" can also refer to a poet, writer, or composer, and is derived from the Sanskrit word "लेख्य" (lekhya). | |||
| Hindi | लेखक | ||
| लेखक also refers to "god" or "Brahma". | |||
| Kannada | ಲೇಖಕ | ||
| "ಲೇಖಕ" (lēkhaka) comes from the Sanskrit word "lekhaka" which simply means "writer". | |||
| Malayalam | രചയിതാവ് | ||
| The word "രചയിതാവ്" can also refer to a "composer", indicating a broad sense of creation, not just in writing. | |||
| Marathi | लेखक | ||
| The word "लेखक" (author) in Marathi derives from the Sanskrit root "likh", meaning "to write," and is cognate with the English word "literature" | |||
| Nepali | लेखक | ||
| Though commonly understood as 'author', 'लेखक' (lekhak) also refers to a play, a piece of writing, or a literary work. | |||
| Punjabi | ਲੇਖਕ | ||
| The word 'লেখক' is also used to refer to a writer of religious or philosophical texts. | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | කර්තෘ | ||
| The word "කර්තෘ" is closely related to the concept of "karma" in Hinduism and Buddhism, referring to the agent or doer of an action, and in the context of authorship, it implies a sense of responsibility and ownership for the work. | |||
| Tamil | நூலாசிரியர் | ||
| "நூலாசிரியர்" is derived from the Tamil word "நூல்" meaning "book" and "ஆசிரியர்" meaning "teacher" or "master". It connotes someone who has mastered a particular subject or field of knowledge and shares their expertise through writing. | |||
| Telugu | రచయిత | ||
| The word "రచయిత" can also refer to a "composer" or "writer of books". | |||
| Urdu | مصنف | ||
| The word "مصنف" in Urdu can also refer to a compiler or a writer of a literary work. | |||
Author in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 作者 | ||
| The term '作者' was initially defined as 'a painter' but is now used for 'author'. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 作者 | ||
| 作者 (zuò zhě) also means 'writer' or 'creator' in Chinese. | |||
| Japanese | 著者 | ||
| The word "著者" in Japanese can also refer to the compiler of an anthology or the editor of a book. | |||
| Korean | 저자 | ||
| "저자" literally means "person who knows". | |||
| Mongolian | зохиогч | ||
| Зохиогч is derived from the verb "зохиох" (to compose, to write), which is related to the word "зүй" (thing, object). | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | စာရေးသူ | ||
| The term စာရေးသူ can also refer to a 'writer' more generally, including journalists and other creators of written content. | |||
Author in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | penulis | ||
| The word 'penulis' is also used to refer to a writer in Indonesian, but it can also mean 'translator' or 'compiler'. | |||
| Javanese | panganggit | ||
| 'Panganggit' also means 'key' or 'handle' in Javanese, referring to the author's role in 'unveiling' or 'opening up' the story or song. | |||
| Khmer | អ្នកនិពន្ធ | ||
| The term ភីរាខ means "author" and comes from the Sanskrit term "granth" meaning "book or text." | |||
| Lao | ຜູ້ຂຽນ | ||
| ຜູ້ຂຽນ originally meant "composer" or "creator" in Pali, but now exclusively means "author" in Lao. | |||
| Malay | pengarang | ||
| The word 'pengarang' can also mean 'composer' or 'creator' in a broader sense. | |||
| Thai | ผู้เขียน | ||
| ผู้เขียน can also mean "a writer" or "a composer" in Thai. | |||
| Vietnamese | tác giả | ||
| "Tác giả" in Vietnamese is derived from the Chinese word "作者" and can also refer to "creator", "inventor", or "writer". | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | may-akda | ||
Author in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | müəllif | ||
| Müəllif is derived from the Arabic word مؤلف (mu'allif), which means 'compiler' or 'collector' of texts. | |||
| Kazakh | автор | ||
| The Kazakh word "автор" can also refer to an "originator" or "creator" in a broad sense. | |||
| Kyrgyz | автор | ||
| The word "автор" in Kyrgyz is also used to refer to the creator of a literary work | |||
| Tajik | муаллиф | ||
| The word "муаллиф" ("author") in Tajik may also refer to a teacher or a writer of a religious text. | |||
| Turkmen | awtory | ||
| Uzbek | muallif | ||
| In Uzbek, "muallif" can also mean "creator" or "inventor," emphasizing the author's role in bringing something new into existence. | |||
| Uyghur | ئاپتور | ||
Author in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | mea kākau | ||
| In Hawaiian, the word "mea kākau" literally means "writing person," and can also refer to a scribe or someone who records events. | |||
| Maori | kaituhi | ||
| The word 'kaituhi' in Maori also means 'scribe', indicating the traditional role of authors as recorders of knowledge. | |||
| Samoan | tusitala | ||
| Tusitala is the honorific name bestowed upon Robert Louis Stevenson because he lived in 'Tusitala,' a house in Samoa whose name means 'teller of tales.' | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | may akda | ||
| May akda is a Tagalog word that literally translates to "owner of the script". | |||
Author in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | awtura | ||
| Guarani | apohára | ||
Author in International Languages
| Esperanto | aŭtoro | ||
| The origin of the word "aŭtoro" is the Greek "authentḗs," meaning "doer, master, or owner." | |||
| Latin | auctor | ||
| The Latin word "auctor" means "author" but can also mean "promoter", "sponsor", "guarantor", and "responsible one". | |||
Author in Others Languages
| Greek | συντάκτης | ||
| The word "συντάκτης" in Greek can also refer to the editor of a publication or the compiler of a document. | |||
| Hmong | sau | ||
| The word "sau" can also mean "teacher". | |||
| Kurdish | nivîskar | ||
| The word "nivîskar" in Kurdish is derived from the Persian word "navīsandeh", which literally means "writer" or "scribe". | |||
| Turkish | yazar | ||
| The word "yazar" can also mean "writer" or "scribe" in Turkish. | |||
| Xhosa | umbhali | ||
| The word "umbhali" can also refer to a person who writes down traditional stories and songs. | |||
| Yiddish | מחבר | ||
| The Yiddish word “מחבר” (“makher”) also means “connector” or “matchmaker”. | |||
| Zulu | umbhali | ||
| The Zulu word "umbhali" also means "one who has the ink" or "one who is soaked in ink". This is because, in the past, people would often write with ink made from plants or tree bark. | |||
| Assamese | লিখক | ||
| Aymara | awtura | ||
| Bhojpuri | लेखक | ||
| Dhivehi | ލިޔުންތެރިޔާ | ||
| Dogri | लेखक | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | may-akda | ||
| Guarani | apohára | ||
| Ilocano | mannurat | ||
| Krio | pɔsin we de rayt buk | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | نووسەر | ||
| Maithili | लेखक | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯑꯏꯕ | ||
| Mizo | ziaktu | ||
| Oromo | barreessaa | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଲେଖକ | ||
| Quechua | ruwaq | ||
| Sanskrit | लेखकः | ||
| Tatar | автор | ||
| Tigrinya | ጸሓፊ | ||
| Tsonga | mutsari | ||