The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021 - 27

language tolerates linguistic
variation differently (one of
many unconscious language
preferences associated with
languages). As those of us in
the industry are aware, both
" fuzzy match " and " 75%
match " can refer to the same
concept. Unqualified humans
and machines can very easily
misinterpret this and translate
each of these terms using
words from their language
that refer to entirely different
concepts for each term in the
pair. If different translators
don't correctly identify these
two terms as synonyms,
inconsistencies in meaning
will be introduced in the target
content that will ultimately
impede user understanding.
When compiling
terminology from client
content, capture these
important term types first to
prevent downstream issues
and the cost that results
from unplanned rework:
y	 Key technical terms and any
synonyms for those terms

and understanding concept

denote a single concept in a

relations would be carried

single entry. For example,

out independently in

in lexicography, the

each language to prevent

following concepts would

the structure of any one

be collected in the entry

language from dominating

for key (n.): key for a lock,

the structure of meaning

piano key, key of music,

conceptualization. In the

etc. In terminography, the

real world, tight deadlines

following synonyms would

and limited budgets mean

be collected in the concept

that terminology work is
often treated more as a
process of translation, with
English as the lingua franca
source language within the
technical fields.
To ensure that concepts
are adopted, borrowing from
languages like English when
introducing new technologies
in developing markets allows
for linguistic voids to be filled
quickly. Still, the adoption
of terminology over time
may not be as successful as
it would be if terminology
were formed according
to the structures of the
" target " language. Note that
terminology work should also
start long before localization

entry for encryption key
(n.): key, cypher, code. In
terminography, the concept
(not word) entry collects all
the different words (terms)
used to name that concept.
The information associated
with term entries in
terminological databases
is organized according
to a hierarchy with three
information levels: entry
(or concept) level, language
level, and term level.
y	 The entry level contains the
information that applies to
the entire entry regardless
of language. (Remember,
we're working with a single
concept in each terminology

efforts are underway.

record.) The subject field

y	 Neologisms, such as
product names or features

Compiling Terminology
into Databases

type of data stored at the

y	 Ambiguous words,
including homonyms

When starting to compile

y	 Inconsistent terms (check
for and standardize the
preferred spelling variation)

databases, a frequent source

y	 Abbreviations and acronyms

y	 Company names, slogans,
and trademarks
While the process of
finding equivalents for
terminology in one language
is referred to above as
translation, it's important to
note that terminology work is
an entirely different linguistic
process. For terminology
work conducted under
ideal circumstances, the
process of building corpora,
extracting terminology,
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collected terminology into
of rework is the incorrect
fusion of terminology
work with what lay people
sometimes refer to as
" dictionary work. " This
is also known within
specialized communities as

Terminology
management makes
or breaks the success
of globalization and
localization efforts
in terms of both
budgets and sales.

is a good example of the
entry level. Since every term
in the entry refers to the
same concept or meaning,
the subject field applies to
every term. We store that
information once at the
entry level, rather than
repeating it in lower levels
of the hierarchy.
y	 The language level
contains information that

lexicography. Lexicography

only applies to a specific

is the practice of compiling

language. Each term entry

all the known concepts

may have records in any

included among the

number of languages. The

meanings of a word into a

area for each language

single entry. Terminology

is sometimes called a

works in the opposite

" language block. " A

direction. Terminography

definition in the specific

is the practice of compiling

language is a good thing to

all the words used to

store at this level.
American Translators Association

27
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The ATA Chronicle - May/June 2021

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