1	Term Formation & Selection Based on articles by Juan C. Sager & Sue Ellen Wright Sue Ellen Wright Kent State University Institute of Applied Linguistics ©Sue Ellen Wright 2003
2	Term Formation The process of naming the concepts required by a particular special language community Required for the development of cognitive processes & communication A conscious human activity based on the awareness of preexisting models
3	Methods for Term Formation The absolute invention of a new combination of phonemes or graphemes The combination of existing lexical elements following established patterns
4	Types of Terminological Units Single lexical units (single-word terms): spring Complex or compound terms consisting of two or more lexical units (multi-word terms): diaphragm spring Phraseological terms consisting of two or more syntactical units: diaphragm spring with annealed fingertips
5	Primary Term Formation Motivated by innovation or change in the linguistic community No direct linguistic precedent for the concept in question Presence or lack of strict formation rules Primarily monolingual environment (exception: i18n environments) Spontaneous & provisional, followed by normalization
6	Examples of Primary Term Formation Typically: Drug names Viagra, Celebrax, Advil, Amoxicyllin More common in French Logiciel, terminotique, terminographie
7	Definition
8	Term
9	Superordinate Concept:
10	Term Motivation-1:
11	Term Motivation-2 English staple: a U-shaped metal bar or piece of wire with pointed ends used as a fastener for various materials, such as papers stapler: a device for inserting staples into paper or wood
12	Term Motivation-3 German heften: mit Nadeln, Klammern o.ä. befestigen, locker verbinden Heft: zusammengefasste Papierbogen Klammer: Gegenstand, mit dem etwas zusammengehalten wird; Zeichen, mit dem man einen Teil eines Textes einschließen kann
13	Motivation Principles Motivation varies according to perspective. Perspective varies according to the hierarchy in which the concept is viewed. Perspective may vary according to language.
14	Secondary Term Formation Motivated by revision in document Motivated by changes in the real world Precedent in the form of an existing term with its own motivation, possibly in another language Multilingual knowledge transfer (translation, localization) Coordination of source language motivation + target language rules & traditions Related to language policy & language politics Language planning environments & standardization
15	Using Existing Resources Extension of meaning (transdisciplinary borrowing) Analogy or simile; metaphor (similarities of form, function, and position) Terminologization of ordinary words Translingual borrowing
16	Extension of Meaning Body parts Finger, hand, arm for various movable parts; leg and foot for supporting parts, face for prominent exposed parts; tongue, ear, heel for protruberances, etc. Transdisciplinary borrowing Hardware (for computers), piping (sewing term), plastics terminology borrowed from metallurgy
17	Metaphor, Terminologization Metaphor: similarities of form, function and position Dovetail back saw, goose-neck clamp, river bed, umbrella cupola Terminologization: transformation of ordinary words into terms Furring, anchor, apron, bleed (air out of a pipe)
18	Modifying Existing Resources Derivation or affixation Compounding (combining existing words or morphemes) Creating phrasal terms Conversion (transpositions, changing part of speech) Compression Abbreviation, clipping, acronym formation, etc.
19	Derivation or Affixation Narrowing the intension (e.g., limiting the determination of the concept with a prefix); ex: superelevation intersect, bisect centerline, borderline, hidden line adhesive, cohesive upstream, midstream, downstream stabilize, destabilize overpass, underpass
20	Suffixation Changing the part of speech -age, -ate, -esce, ize, ise, and especially –ify create process verbs -ing, -ion change verbs to nouns -al, -ant, -ar, -ary, -en, etc. form adjectives -age, -ance, -cy, -escence, and especially -ity form nouns from adjectives
21	Compounding Combining existing words into new ones with independent meanings Two (or more) elements in compound The first determines (modifies) the second The far right element (in Germanic languages) is called the nucleus or head term Formation of subordinate concepts (retains reference to original concept) water load, refractory core, design drawing, fire-resistant material, drainage ditch, design chart
22	Multi-component Compounds (A + B) + C; e.g., (butt-welded) seams A + (B + C); e.g., overload (relief valve) Examples: (bending moment) diagram (extra-rapid-hardening) cement advanced (waste water) treatment minimum (strain energy) (data control) (block fill-in) process
23	Forming Phrasal Terms Germanic Tends toward compounding instead Tends toward greater abstraction Romance Tends toward creation of phrasal units Tends toward semantic specificity Result: Germanic to Romance requires explicitation Romance to Germanic requires implicitation
24	Compression (Abbreviated Forms) Initialisms FM, AC, UN, USA Abbreviations etc., i.e., e.g. Acronyms UNESCO, NATO, NASA Clipping math, maths, vet, intercom, vertijet
25	Neologisms Totally new creations: gas, paraffin, byte Interlingual borrowings Filling so-called lacunae: Raster; crepe; Zeitgeist, tortilla Greek & Latin into English Greek, Latin & English into other languages Counteractive trend: resistance to borrowing & efforts to maintain language purity
26	Term Selection for Standardization Keywords Terms that cause misunderstandings Words used in titles Words used for major product lines Words that differ from general usage
27	Terminology Standardization Avoid: Premature standardization Words that do not differ from general language usage Words that are polysemic or ambiguous Words that are poorly motivated False friends (false cognates & false loan terms)
28	Translation-oriented Terminology Do: Document terms that are likely to recur. Document terms translators will find difficult (and not just terms that terminologists find difficult) Substandard as well as desired usage Don’t: Document standard usage good translators should know, especially general language terms found in standard dictionaries Over-invest in excessive detail