Terminology. International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Issues in Specialized Communication - Current Issue

Abstract

In the last decades, the study of phraseology within general and specialized lexicographic resources has been of interest to scholars. However, phraseology has not been studied in language for specific purposes (LSP) as much as in language for general purposes (LGP). Therefore, this study (i) offers an overview of the definitions regarding LSP phraseology, (ii) provides a series of linguistic analyses of specialized phraseological units (SPUs) extracted from a specialized bilingual dictionary, and (iii) draws a comparative line between LGP and LSP phraseology. To do so, 11,086 entries were extracted to build the analysis database. This study provides 1,054 morphosyntactic and 4,369 semantic patterns, a definition and a taxonomy of SPUs based on the data analysis and revision of LGP phraseology notions, and a hybrid lexicographic indexation method for SPUs. The contributions of this paper answer the question ‘what is a SPU?’; while highlighting similarities and differences with LGP phraseology.

Abstract

The analysis of domain-specific terminology is essential for characterizing specialized discourses, and emerges as a useful means of measuring the thematic hybridity of law and legal translation in particular. This paper accordingly presents a large-scale mapping of terminological and phraseological features in a multi-genre corpus that was built as part of the LETRINT project on institutional legal translation. The corpus-driven analysis focuses on the density of legal terminology and phraseology, on the one hand, and that of terminology of other specialized domains, on the other, in nine genres that are considered representative of three central legal functions (law-making, compliance monitoring and adjudication) in three international settings (the European Union, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization). The comparative examination of density scores provides empirical evidence of the common core features of the selected genres, and reveals variations based on institutional thematic focus, primary legal function and genre specificities. These insights nuance our understanding of international legal discourses and domain specialization in institutional translation.

Abstract

Terminological counselling is ad hoc terminology work that provides the terminology user with a relatively quick and credible answer to a terminological question. In this article, we present the Terminological Counselling Service offered by the Terminology Section of the ZRC SAZU Fran Ramovš Institute of the Slovenian Language since 2013. Through a web form, users submit a question, which is answered by five terminologists in a joint opinion. For this article, all 75 questions received by the Terminological Counselling Service in 2020 were examined. They were analysed in terms of the subject fields in which the users have terminological problems, the institutions the users are affiliated with, and the content of the questions. We believe that the Terminological Counselling Service plays an important role, as the number of users is increasing year by year.

Abstract

The essential attributes and pragmatic features of terms are reflected in their actual use. The diachronic dimension of terminology use has become a major concern in recent decades; however, few considerations are given to the use of translated terminology. In this paper, we report on a diachronic study on the use of the translated Chinese term zibenhua (资本化, capitalisation/capitalise) under Cabré’s theory of doors. We built a corpus by collecting the texts containing the translated term zibenhua from the People’s Daily (1950–2019) to investigate the changes in its use and the potential reasons for these changes. A usage-based methodology for researching the translated terminology is also described.

Abstract

The Theory of Doors (Cabré 2003) has been well established in the academia of terminology worldwide. Many follow-up terminology studies draw on the analytical framework of this theory, namely the linguistic, cognitive, and communicative dimensions of a terminological unit. This theory provides a comprehensive approach to the observation of terminology, which helps with the better understanding and description of terminology in real use. With this paradigm, a terminological unit can be investigated from any of the three dimensions, or “three doors”. However, the interrelationships among the three dimensions have not been further elaborated, which may fail to account for the complexity of actual terminology use, in cross-lingual settings particularly. The authors of the present study aim for an extension of the theory to cope with the research on cross-lingual and cross-cultural terminology use by focusing on the concept of “domestic violence” in the English and Chinese languages and cultures. To extend the Theory of Doors, the interrelatedness of the three descriptive dimensions is demonstrated based on a new metaphorical image of “a revolving door”, and more precisely a “three-wing revolving door”.

This article reviews Termes en discours. Entreprises et organisations