How much terminological theory do we need for practice?
-
Vassilis Korkas
Abstract
The relationship between theory and practice is a particularly pertinent one for newly-emerging academic subject fields such as Translation Studies and Terminology Studies, as translation and terminology / terminography / specialized lexicography are activities originally rooted in practice over millennia. In this paper we would like to address a number of issues related to this relationship in the context of advanced specialized translation programmes (postgraduate or year 5). Starting from a consideration of how ‘theory’ as a concept can be variously interpreted by students and practitioners alike, we go on to review the goals of courses in terminology management for translation purposes with a view to identifying the potential contribution of terminological theory. In this, we will argue that certain aspects of theory can help to inform decisions of practice and that the crucial question may be one of pedagogical presentation rather than ‘does theory matter?’.
Abstract
The relationship between theory and practice is a particularly pertinent one for newly-emerging academic subject fields such as Translation Studies and Terminology Studies, as translation and terminology / terminography / specialized lexicography are activities originally rooted in practice over millennia. In this paper we would like to address a number of issues related to this relationship in the context of advanced specialized translation programmes (postgraduate or year 5). Starting from a consideration of how ‘theory’ as a concept can be variously interpreted by students and practitioners alike, we go on to review the goals of courses in terminology management for translation purposes with a view to identifying the potential contribution of terminological theory. In this, we will argue that certain aspects of theory can help to inform decisions of practice and that the crucial question may be one of pedagogical presentation rather than ‘does theory matter?’.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Section I. Terminology and smaller language
- Synonymy and variation in the domain of digital terrestrial television 11
- Language (policy), translation and terminology in the European Union 21
- The situation and problems of Hungarian terminology 35
- Translation-oriented terminology work in Hungary 47
- Towards a national terminology infrastructure 61
-
Section II. Best practices in terminology management
- Terminology on demand 81
- Frames, contextual information and images in terminology 97
- How much terminological theory do we need for practice? 123
- Ontological support for multilingual domain-specific translation dictionaries 137
-
Section III. Possibilities of terminological databases for different applications
- In praise of effective export terminology 149
- Computer aided term bank creation and standardization 163
- Competency-based job descriptions and termontography 181
- Proposals to standardize remote sensing terminology in Spanish 195
-
Section IV. Terminology in a medical setting
- The PERTOMed project 213
- Instrumentality in cognitive concept modelling 233
- Biographical notes 255
- Author index 263
- Subject index 267
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Section I. Terminology and smaller language
- Synonymy and variation in the domain of digital terrestrial television 11
- Language (policy), translation and terminology in the European Union 21
- The situation and problems of Hungarian terminology 35
- Translation-oriented terminology work in Hungary 47
- Towards a national terminology infrastructure 61
-
Section II. Best practices in terminology management
- Terminology on demand 81
- Frames, contextual information and images in terminology 97
- How much terminological theory do we need for practice? 123
- Ontological support for multilingual domain-specific translation dictionaries 137
-
Section III. Possibilities of terminological databases for different applications
- In praise of effective export terminology 149
- Computer aided term bank creation and standardization 163
- Competency-based job descriptions and termontography 181
- Proposals to standardize remote sensing terminology in Spanish 195
-
Section IV. Terminology in a medical setting
- The PERTOMed project 213
- Instrumentality in cognitive concept modelling 233
- Biographical notes 255
- Author index 263
- Subject index 267
