4.

TERMINOLOGY

According to the dictionary, terminology is defined as “The body of terms used with a
particular technical application in a subject of study, theory, profession etc.”
(15.03.2016 http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/terminology).
The terms are: words and compound words or multi-word expressions, which are given
specific meanings in contexts. These words may deviate from everyday language, and from
the sense of the same words in other situation.
I can say, the terminology is a method that debates the evolution of corresponding terms and
their correlation within a particular domain. Terminology differs from lexicography, just as
terminology implicates the study of concepts and their terms, while lexicography debates
words and their meanings.
Terminology can be, for example, multilingual or bilingual, as it can be limited to one or more
languages, or might have an interdisciplinarity target on the use of labels (terms) in different
domains (e.g.: dictionaries, glossaries, databases).
Terminology follows these aspects:
 analyzing the concepts and concept structures used in a field or domain of activity
 identifying the terms assigned to the concepts
 in the case of bilingual or multilingual terminology, establishing correspondences
between terms in the various languages
 compiling the terminology, on paper or in databases
 managing terminology databases
 creating new terms, as required
(15.03.2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminology)
Terminology can be:
 ad hoc work, for a single word or a limited number of words. It is popular in the
translation profession. Here, the translation of specific word or group of words is
necessary to clarify fast a particular translation part.
 systematic collection, for all the words in a distinct domain of work.
A terminologist is organized and constantly improves its knowledge in terminology.
Terminology helps to link the different areas. Translators analyse the terminology of the
languages they translate.
Terminology, as an independent science, can be considered to be recent, even if the science of
terminology has developed in parallel with the scientific advances of the past three centuries.
Some authors consider that terminology is not an independent science, although they admit
that underlying the terminological practice, there should exist a theoretical basis.
I will end this chapter of my thesis with a definition of terminology, by Juan C. Sager in his
book - “Practical Course in Terminology Processing, 1990”:

“Terminology is concerned with the study and use of the systems of symbols and linguistic
signs employed for human communication in specialised areas of knowledge and activities. It
is primarily a linguistic discipline –linguistics being interpreted here in its widest possible
sense- with emphasis on semantics (systems of meanings and concepts) and pragmatics. It is
inter-disciplinary in the sense that it also borrows concepts and methods from semiotics,
epistemology, classification, etc. It is closely linked to the subject fields whose lexica it
describes and for which it seeks to provide assistance in the ordering and use of designations.
Although terminology has been in the past mostly concerned with the lexical aspects of
specialised languages, its scope extends to syntax and phonology. In its applied aspect
terminology is related to lexicography and uses techniques of information science and
technology.”

The corpus of this glossary is formed of 38 English-Romanian terms. The interpretation of

both English and Romanian terms is created following certain semantic domains:
I.D LANGUAGE: English or Romanian
I.D COUNTRY: it is specified the country in which the term is used.
The STANDARD DEFINITION domain consists in a given explanation of the significance
of the term.
The DEFINITION SOURCE domain represents the provenience of the definition. In other
words, in this section will be written the dictionary, document or another identified paper,
where the definition was found.
In the GRAMMATICAL INFORMATION domain is presented the grammatical analysis of
the word.
NOTA BENE presents important details about the specific term.
The GENERIC CONCEPT give information about the general conception of the term.
The HYPERONYM section includes a word whose definition is less specific than its
hyponym.
The HYPONYM domain presents a word whose definition iss more specific than its
hyperonym.
The SYNONYM section. A synonym is “a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the
same as another word or phrase in the same language.”
(17.03.2016 http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/synonym).
The CONTEXTS sections are made up of texts in which the analyzed term is presented, in
order to be fully understood.
The SOURCES OF CONTEXTS domains presents the provenience of the text used in the
section CONTEXTS.
The USE AREA section represent the domain in which the term is employed.
The STATUS domain describes if the term is accepted in the language.