Terminology: A Practical Approach

Robert Dubuc

Description

Terminology: A Practical Approach is intended primarily for students of terminology and translation.
This book takes a practical approach to terminology: it treats special language as living language used by people in real-life situations to communicate with one another. It describes natural language in all its diversity and disorder, and the challenges inherent in studying it.
This work is also practical in the approach it takes to terminological research. After defining terminology as we know it today, establishing it as an independent discipline, and laying down the fundamental principles that govern the practice, the book guides the reader through the stages of term and suject-field research, outlining methods of terminological analysis and parameters for recording terminological data. It points up the importance of using original-language documentation, delves into the role of standardization in English terminology, and discusses the use of new computerized applications in the field.
The practical sections are punctuated by more theoretical sections, which examine the nature of the relationship between term and concept, describe time-honored methods of definition, provide a typology of synonyms, and define the processes of term formation in modern English.
This English version of Robert Dubuc’s Manuel pratique de terminologie is very much an adaptation. There are two main reasons for this. First, the use of original-language documentation is a fundamental principle in terminology, so a textbook on the subject could hardly be a translation. Second, many aspects of terminological work are different in English. Most of the chapters have been researched in English-language sources–when possible–published primarily in the United States and Great Britain, and included in the bibliographies. All of the chapters cover, by and large, the same material as the original French, but the ideas have been organized and discussed as they are presented and treated in English sources.

Sujets

• Terminology

Informations

• Publié par: Presses de l'Université de Montréal
• Date de parution: 03 octobre 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9782920342637
• Langue: English

Extrait

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TERMINOLOGY: A PRACTICAL APPROACH

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Robert Dubuc

TERMINOLOGY: A PRACTICAL APPROACH

Adapted by Elaine Kennedy

with contributions by:

Catherine A. Bowman Andy Lauriston Shirley Ledrew

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© 1997 Linguatech éditeur inc. P.O. Box 92012, Place Portobello Brossard, Québec J4W 3K8

Registration: fourth quarter of 1997 Bibliothèque nationale du Québec Canada National Library

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.

Editor:Shelley Tepperman Proofreader:Lucie Dubuc Desktop publisher:Madeleine Bouvier Cover design:Luc Bouchard and Luis Collazo

Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data

Dubuc, Robert, 1930- Terminology: A Practical Approach

Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 2-920342-30-4

1. Terms and phrases. 2. French Language—Terms and phrases. I. Kennedy, Elaine, 1954- II. Linguatech (Firm) III. Title.

P305.D82 1997

404’.4

C97-900733-X

This adaptation is dedicated to Andrew.

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FOREWORD

Terminology: A Practical Approachis intended primarily for students of terminology and translation. However, some chapters—TERM AND CONCEPT,DEFINITIONS IN TERMINOLOGY,SYNONYMY, TERM FORMATIONandSTANDARDIZATION—may well be of interest to students of technical writing and special subject fields.

This book takes a practical approach to terminology: it treats special language as living language used by people in real-life situations to communicate with one another, and not as a system artificially engineered to meet an ideal. It takes into account the complex weave of factors that can influence the appropriate choice of expression: individual speakers, their place in society, the cir- cumstances under which they communicate, the topic they dis- cuss. It describes natural language in all its diversity and disorder, and the challenges inherent in studying it: the differing perspec- tives of different languages, the pros and cons of synonyms, the confusion created by polysemous terms within a subject field, the difficulty of keeping step with continually evolving meanings and keeping pace with the proliferation of new terms.

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This work is practical not only in the way it treats the vocabulary specific to special languages, but also in the approach it takes to terminological research. After defining terminology as we know it today, establishing it as an independent discipline, and laying down the fundamental principles that govern the practice, the book guides the reader through the stages of term and subject-field re- search, outlining methods of terminological analysis and param- eters for recording terminological data. It points up the importance of using original-language documentation, delves into the role of standardization in English terminology, and discusses the use of new computerized applications in the field.

The practical sections are punctuated by more theoretical sections, which examine the nature of the relationship between term and concept, describe time-honored methods of definition, provide a

X typology of synonyms, and define the processes of term forma- tion in modern English.

This English version of Robert Dubuc’sManuel pratique de ter minologieThere are two main rea-is very much an adaptation. sons for this. First, the use of original-language documentation is a fundamental principle in terminology, so a textbook on the sub- ject could hardly be a translation. Second, many aspects of termi- nological work are different in English, including the basic need for terminology, the reasons for and characteristics of term cre- ation, and the means and objectives of standardization.

Some of the chapters which discuss strictly practical material, in- cluding Chapters 5 and 6 on term and subject-field research, have been adapted on the basis of my experience as a practitioner. Most of Chapter 14 on standardization has been made from whole cloth by Cathy Bowman on the basis of her experience and because stan- dardization is so different in English. Most of the other chapters have been researched in English-language sources—when pos- sible—published primarily in the United States and Great Britain, and included in the bibliographies. All of the chapters cover, by and large, the same material as the original French, but the ideas have been organized and discussed as they are presented and treated in English sources.

This work has been a long time in the making, mostly because of the difficulty in reconciling the imperatives of professional prac- tice and academic pursuits. Its publication would not have been possible without the direct or indirect contribution of many people. I owe a debt of gratitude, first and foremost, to Monsieur Dubuc, for the privileged opportunity to study under him, work under his guidance and finally adapt his work. Sincere thanks to Nada Kerpan for exposure to impeccable standards of professional prac- tice. And many thanks to my respected colleagues and lay read- ers, Marcia Barr and Mary Plaice, and my terminologist readers, Cathy Bowman and Andy Lauriston. Elaine Kennedy