“For there is nothing lost, that may be found, if sought”. Manuscript terminology across languages and scientific disciplines

The complex terminology used in the description of medieval books in manuscript catalogues and other scientific contributions offers a wide range of possible ambiguities and losses across languages and disciplines, losses that become evident most notably on their crossing paths in the Internet. . Sadly enough, true long-term collaboration across countries and disciplines is more the exception than the rule, which is also why the question of terminology and its translation is frequently neglected. The authors of the present contribution, an Italian codicologist and a German art historian – both of whom have provided lexicographical work tools which have seen several translations) – propose an overview of the work tools currently available (theoretical reflections, dictionaries, multilingual glossaries), followed by a small but significant selection of examples of gaps, ambiguities and other problems regarding the building of a shared multilingual language in manuscript studies.