Terminological Consistency Research Articles

DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF TRANSLATION METHODOLOGY FOR IATE ECOLOGY TERMS IN GEORGIAN

This article examines key terminological challenges when translating ecological terms from English into Georgian, within the framework of the "Terminology without Borders" (TWB) project, initiated by the Directorate-General for Translation (DG TRAD) of the European Parliament. This study contributes to the IATE (InterActive Terminology for Europe) database, aiming to enhance communication in the environmental domain by adapting EU terminology to meet citizens' needs worldwide. The paper underscores the importance of terminological consistency in ensuring translation clarity and precision. Specifically, it documents and provides a descriptive analysis of four terms, identifying linguistic cases of polysemy, synonymy, and term variation, commonly observed across all 102 ecological terms in the database. The introductory section provides a comprehensive overview of the historical development of terminography in Georgia, examining its evolution over time, as well as the contemporary challenges it faces in the field. The core of the study is dedicated to a procedural analysis of terms: industrial crop, primary production waste, green waste, and corn salad. The analysis includes reviewing term definitions, identifying term domains, exploring contextual meanings, detecting target-language equivalents, and corpus-based examination of each term. This approach is designed to systematically address terminological challenges within the context of IATE, thus improving the reliability of the Georgian entries for environmental terminology. A secondary objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of IATE as a resource for translating ecological terminology based on English source texts, highlighting potential areas for improvement in multilingual database management. The concluding section summarises the findings, emphasizing that terminological consistency is fundamentally dependent on the clarity and precision of source texts, especially within specialized domains such as the environment.

Legal, Technical, and Linguistic Nuances in Patent Translation in English-Chinese Contexts: Based on an Invalidated Patent

Patent translation constitutes a highly specialized domain that necessitates a profound comprehension of both technical terminology and legal frameworks. This understanding is imperative to ensure precise technical accuracy, which is critical for maintaining the legal enforceability and scope of patents, as well as ensuring terminological consistency. The translation of patents presents multifaceted challenges requiring meticulous attention. Through a comprehensive examination of terminological consistency, legal considerations, cultural variances, and the inherent subjectivity of the translator, best practices can be identified to enhance the accuracy of patent translations. The translator's subjectivity plays a pivotal role in this process; it is not merely confined to adhering to dictionary definitions or navigating syntactical complexities. Rather, it involves a holistic and judicious interpretation of the inventor's intent, which must be effectively conveyed in the target language while simultaneously accommodating potential legal implications. This subjectivity transcends conventional principles and encompasses a broader spectrum of considerations. Furthermore, modern digital technology offers significant support in the realm of patent translation. The integration of advanced tools can facilitate the translation process, although it remains essential for translators to possess both linguistic proficiency and specialized knowledge in relevant technical fields. This dual expertise ensures that both the scientific integrity and legal validity of patent documents are preserved during translation.

Language and style of a legal act: analysis of the Law of Ukraine «On lawmaking»

The article examines the peculiarities of language and style of a legal act in the context of studying Article 35 of the Law of Ukraine «On Lawmaking». It is determined that compliance by public authorities and local self-government bodies with the basic requirements for drafting and adopting regulatory legal acts is an integral part of an effective law- making process in Ukraine. In our opinion, the requirements to the language and style of a legal act are also important, since lawyers-drafters should have additional knowledge in this area, in particular, the linguistic features of writing legal norms. The author`s conclude that the issue of language aspects of legal drafting is relevant because the use of clearly defined and prescribed legal terms not only avoids ambiguity and different understandings, but also ensures the accuracy and unambiguity of the law’s interpretation. Therefore, a law should be written in a language that is understandable to everyone, but it should also use legal terminology to avoid misunderstandings and misinterpretations. It is noted that the Law of Ukraine «On Lawmaking» in Article 35 defines the basic rules of text presentation and peculiarities of the style of a legal act. However, for lawyers, the linguistic aspects of writing a legal provision are not always clear, so it is necessary to analyse in more detail the requirements of the law regarding the language of a legal document and to highlight the general principles of using terms and linguistic rules in the legal sphere. The author`s identify problems in the implementation of the provisions of Article 34 of the Law, in particular: 1) the lack of developed and adopted standards of Ukrainian legal terminology, which creates difficulties in the construction of legal norms; 2) the absence of a separate linguistic department which would deal with proofreading of draft legal documents, both in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and in other state and non-state structures; 3) the absence of a Unified Glossary of Legal Terms, which also affects terminological consistency in the drafting of a legal document.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF ENFORCEMENT PROCEEDINGS IN ADMINISTRATION

Numerous general principles are used in administrative enforcement proceedings, which mainly take a directival form. In the study, research has been focused on the description and analysis relating to general rules of law, principles of administrative law and principles of administrative procedure used in enforcement proceedings. However, special attention was paid to the general principles having their source in the Law of June 17, 1966, on Administrative Enforcement Proceedings.The aim of this research is an attempt to synthesize these principles and show their role in involuntary proceeding. When starting the research, a research hypothesis was put forward, which assumes that the application of general principles in enforcement proceedings in administration guarantees their correct course, and the principles themselves are a set of norms shaped mainly by legal provisions. The analyses carried out allowed to confirm the thesis and to identify a number of de lege ferenda conclusions, indicating the need to revise some rules. First of all, attention was drawn to the lack of terminological consistency regarding the general principles of enforcement proceedings. Further attention was paid to the need for legislative changes regarding the formation of the principle of conducting enforcement in a manner least burdensome for the obliged, which in the author’s opinion is too general. Another conclusion is the demand for a revision of the provisions of Articles 8 to 10 of the Law on Administrative Enforcement Proceedings. These provisions, which are a manifestation of the principle of respect for the minimum subsistence, are outdated and do not reflect the current situation, especially of farmers.

Digital Competences and Digital Skills in the Legal Regulation of the Digital Transformation of the European Union

In the digital transformation process, the phases focusing on technical and economic aspects were followed by a phase exposing human capital issues. In approximately 3,000 acts of the European Union relating to the digital transformation process published in Eur-lex, as well as in an increasing number of national acts of the Member States, the terms “digital competences” and “digital skills” appear. They occur, inter alia, in the context of the financing of development tasks and their achievement indicators. In the application of existing law, it must be taken into account that the scopes and interrelationships of these new terms are framed differently. This ambiguity may have a negative impact on the effectiveness of digital transformation. It is postulated that the terminological consistency of the multi-level regulation should be improved and, in doing so, it should be noted that the prominence of digital skills in prospective acts and the way in which knowledge is captured can affect the use of the potential of universities.

Проблемы частноправовой ответственности за недостоверность заверения об обстоятельствах в сделках M&A энергетических компаний в российском и английском праве

This article discusses the peculiarities of the institution of representations as a means of protecting a bona fide party in M&A (mergers and acquisitions) transactions of energy companies under Russian and English civil law. Special attention is also paid to the issue of terminological consistency and the nature of M&A transactions. The relevance of the topic is due to the rising number of M&A transactions in the energy sector, the tendency to the increasing importance of state participation in managing such companies, and the resulting need to provide legal protection for a bona fide party to the transaction. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent of legal doctrine development in this area and the feasibility of using existing rules of both Russian and English law in energy company mergers and acquisitions. After analyzing various statutory acts and both foreign and domestic scientific literature, it can be concluded that the mentioned institution is novel to the legal system of the Russian Federation. It is necessary to improve the legal doctrine, use the principle of freedom of contract, and establish liability in specific contractual obligations. Additionally, the author suggests elaborating on the consequences of recognizing a reorganization (M&A transaction) as failed (invalid) due to false representations by one of the parties involved at the statutory level.

Use of trait concepts and terminology in freshwater ecology: Historic, current, and future perspectives

Abstract Trait‐based approaches have received increasing interest among freshwater scientists given their capacity to predict community structure and biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning. However, the inconsistent development and use of trait concepts and terms across freshwater scientific disciplines may have limited realisation of the potential of traits. Here, we reviewed trait definitions and terms use to provide recommendations for their consistent application in freshwater science. To do so, we first reviewed literature to identify established trait definitions, historical and current use of trait terms and challenges restricting the application of trait‐based approaches in freshwater science. Next, we surveyed 414 freshwater researchers from 54 countries to assess variability in the current use of trait terminology in relation to respondent characteristics (i.e., professional experience, geographical region, research discipline, and focal freshwater ecosystem, biotic group, and ecosystem function). Our literature review identified two well‐established trait definitions, which emphasise individual phenotypic characteristics that influence either eco‐evolutionary aspects (i.e., organism performance and fitness) or ecosystem dynamics and processes (i.e., responses to the environment and/or effects on ecosystem functioning). Publications used a range of trait‐related terms and their frequency of use varied among scientific fields. The term functional trait dominated fields such as biodiversity conservation, environmental sciences and ecology, plant sciences and microbiology. In contrast, the terms biological trait, functional trait, and species trait were used with similar frequencies in fields such as entomology, fisheries, marine and freshwater biology, and zoology. We also found that well‐established trait definitions are difficult to apply to freshwater unicellular organisms, colonial multicellular organisms, genomic information, and cultural traits. Our survey revealed highly inconsistent use of trait terms among freshwater researchers. Terms including biological trait, functional trait, structural measure, and ecosystem function were commonly used to describe the same traits or functions. Variability in the use of terms was generally explained by research discipline, geographical region, and focal biotic group and ecosystem functions. We propose making the trait concept flexible enough to be applicable to all freshwater biota and their characteristics, while keeping and integrating links to eco‐evolutionary and ecosystem aspects. Specifically, our new definition expands the established functional trait definition by considering also supra‐individual scales of trait measurement (colonial‐ or community‐mean traits), genotypic traits (e.g., functional gene markers of enzymes) and cultural traits (e.g., feeding behaviours, communication skills). To reduce terminological ambiguity, we also recommend that researchers define trait terms, prioritising the use of functional trait as an overarching term over alternative terms (e.g., biological trait), and restricting specific terms (e.g., morphological trait) to situations in which such precision is desirable. The findings of our integrative study could help to improve terminological consistency across freshwater disciplines and to better recognise the potential of traits to elucidate the mechanisms behind ecological patterns.

Aspekty terminologiczne w programach studiów kształcących tłumaczy

The starting point of the research and its results described in the article was the assumption that educational concepts for a specific field of study at a university should be based on scientifically embedded competence models. In the case of translator education, these should be models developed on the basis of empirical research on translation competence. Besides, of crucial importance for the devising educational concepts is the explicative description of translation in its processual, strategic-communicative and generic specificity, wherein a certain terminology which reflects systems of concepts, distinguished categories of translation reality, is applied. Study programs, educational contents and the applied terminology should show internal terminological consistency, as well as terminological consistency with scientifically justified translation and translodidactic concepts. The research results presented in the article indicate certain groups of deficits in this regard. The formulated conclusions point out the necessity of constructing study programmes on the basis of concepts based on empirical research

The phenomenon of attachment and feeding of unfed ticks (ixodoidea) on fed and feeding specimens of the same or different species: terminological issues

The feeding by unfed ticks on engorged or feeding specimens of the same (or different) species has been repeatedly documented in laboratory colonies of ticks of the subfamily Ixodoidea. We review the lack of terminological consistency in descriptions of this phenomenon, especially in Russian-language papers. The term “cannibalism” is clearly inapplicable, since it necessarily involves the destruction of the victim by way of consumption (which concerns only specimens of the same species), whereas the tick specimens used as a source for feeding by other ticks typically remain viable. “Homovampirism” (омовампиризм), which is found exclusively in the Russian-language literature, is also unsuitable, “vampirism” being a folkloric word and as such inappropriate for use in the scientific literature. The term “kleptoparasitism”, which appears to reflect the specificity of this phenomenon, is vague and covers many different types of relationships between living organisms. “Hyperparasitism” appears to be the most fitting name for this phenomenon widely used now by acarologists. When using this term, it would be necessary to specify whether the parasitism is conspecific or heterospecific.

DEVELOPMENT OF TERMINOLOGICAL COMPETENCE OF STUDENTS MAJORING IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS

The paper outlines the paradigm for developing terminological competence of students majoring in Applied Linguistics. In the course of research, the following tasks have been performed in order to achieve the purpose: the most important components of terminological competence of students majoring in Applied Linguistics are identified; the problematic issues related to the formation of each of the essential components of terminological competence are highlighted; the methodology for developing terminological competence in language classes is analyzed. Therefore, the development of terminological competence of higher education students is revealed to be a complex work covering a wide range of educational activities, which comprise general education and professionally-oriented subjects, as well as optional ones. The most important components of the students’ terminological competence are as follows: studying the basic theoretical foundations of the theory of terminology and historical stages of formation of terminological systems; mastering the most important principles of term formation and standardization of terminology; developing sustainable skills and abilities in normative application of terminology in professional communication. The paper outlines a number of problematic issues related to the formation of each of these components of terminological competence, such as the ratio of borrowed and native elements in the terminological system, excessive involvement of anglicisms in Ukrainian terminologyical systems, functioning of terminological units formed in violation of terminological consistency in modern professional speaking, and also the presence of outdated forms, orthographic errors or spelling mistakes in modern electronic lexicographical papers which disoriente native speakers, etc. Methodological recommendations for the development of students’ terminological competence in language classes are formulated in accordance with each of the proposed components, e.g., panel discussions, conference classes, presentation of students’ own collections with examples in accordance with the topic assigned, preparation and presentation of creative works with the use of certain linguistic tools, research papers, game methods, etc. Key words: term, terminology, Applied Linguistics, terminological competence, terminology, termination, determination.

Identifying ASL Compounds: A Functionalist Approach

Abstract: In many descriptions of American Sign Language (ASL), signs like [breakfast] are identified as compounds . These signs were once formed with two separate signs but have since fused into a single unit. This article presents an alternative definition of compound that includes both functional and formal properties. Following this updated definition, examples of ASL compounds are constructions like [name sign] and [sign language], which combine two object-concept words to name an object concept, as well as related constructions like [formal room] 'living room,' which also label object concepts. The updated definition of compound allows for terminological consistency and sets the stage for fuller understanding of the variety of multisign units in ASL.

Untangling Blackness in Greek Antiquity

Untangling Blackness in Greek Antiquity

Natural Kind Realism and Dupré’s Promiscuous Realism

I contend that scientific realism and realism about natural kinds should be given separate treatment because a person could be a scientific realist in general without having key realist commitments about natural kinds. I utilize Chakravartty’s three dimensions of commitment for scientific realism to create three key conditions for realism regarding natural kinds in particular. I find that Dupré’s promiscuous realism fails at least one these conditions, and therefore, for the sake of terminological consistency and clarity, we should classify promiscuous realism as an antirealist view of natural kinds.

Korpusy językowe jako narzędzie w procesie tworzenia prawa

The article discussed linguistic corpora as a tool in the law-making process. First, the authors explained the concept of a linguistic corpus, i.e. an electronic set of texts used for linguistic research. Then they discussed the previous applications of linguistic corpora in legal contexts. The authors then presented possible applications of linguistic corpora in the law-making process. They indicated that not only practical but also normative reasons speak for their use. These tools may contribute to a more effective implementation of the principles of legislative technique, regulated in the binding Zasady techniki prawodawczej [Principles of legislative technique], that is most of all the principle of communicativeness (in this context the basic role is played by general corpora) and the principle of terminological consistency (in this context, it is necessary to build a specialised corpus of texts of binding legal acts).

English electrotechnical terminology and problems of its use by ukrainian specialists

In recent years, the use of English-language electrotechnical terminology has become an integral part of scientific and pedagogical activities in higher education in Ukraine. Writing of scientific articles, monographs, methodical literature and teaching lectures and practical-laboratory classes requires not only knowledge of the English language at a level not lower than Intermediate, but also knowledge of relevant scientific and technical terminology. English is essentially becoming the lingua franca of the modern world, including in the scientific sphere. Therefore, it is quite surprising that there is practically no literature on electrical engineering disciplines in English in the scientific library of NTU "KhPI". In this regard, almost an exception is the study guide, which was written by the former head of the department of electric apparatus of NTU "KhPI", editor-in-chief of the magazine "Electrical engineering and electromechanics" prof. B.V. Klymenko. The manual is actually an English-Ukrainian dictionary on electromechanics. It is based on the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary (IEV). This is a large and important work, but it does not cover all the variety of electrical terminology and electrical engineering terms. The article shows that the IEV contradicts other English-language sources, which itself, to some extent, has internal contradictions. We see that even now there are still some regional differences in terminology and concepts, methods of teaching electrical engineering, due to local traditions. In addition, the language itself is constantly developing, some words become obsolete, some appear. Therefore, work on dictionaries is ongoing, but they are quite naturally forced to lag behind life. Thus, certain difficulties arise when translating into English. You can, however, take the IEV dictionary as a basis with some adjustments based on a few more reliable sources. If some concept does not have a strict correspondence in English-language literature, then the author of the translation takes a certain risk of being unclear, so this concept must be further explained in the text. Undoubtedly, there is a need for further standardization and inter-state terminological consistency in relation to electrical engineering, as well as an updated Ukrainian standard for electrical engineering, which is very urgent.

Challenges in Translating Scientific Texts: Problems and Reasons

The demand for scientific and technical translation has increased because of the rapid scientific and technological development in developed countries and the need to spread these sciences and technologies in developing countries. This study aims to investigate the main problems encountered by translators in translating scientific texts from English into Arabic and reveal the main reasons behind these problems. In this study, a qualitative research design is applied, and the sample of this study consists of one scientific text with (938 words) translated by twenty BA students. The study reveals that translators faced lexical and syntactic problems while translating scientific text, such as word diction, preciseness, terminological consistency, word order (markedness), agreement, tense and aspect, and passive structure. Moreover, the study shows that a lack of translators' experience in this domain, students' total dependence on a literal translation, and the lack of awareness of the sensitivity of scientific texts are some of the most important reasons for these problems.

THE PRINCIPLE OF A RATIONAL LEGISLATOR AND THE SYSTEMIC REGULATION OF SOME LABOUR LAW INSTITUTIONS

A systemic review of selected legal institutions of employees’ disciplinary liability leads to the conclusion that the regulation of disciplinary law is not based on rational and logical assumptions. Concerns are raised as to the existence of many statutes that regulate, separately for individual employee groups and, as a rule, differently, functionally identical substantive and procedural institutions of disciplinary liability. Such differences are not explained, by the different times at which individual statutes were enacted and the subject matter differences related to the exercise of particular professions. As for the legislator, a review of the relevant provisions of law indicates that the said regulations do not, in many situations, satisfy the principle of terminological consistency or the requirement of systemic coherence. This applies in particular to norms that, due to their faulty treatment of linguistic issues relating to the rational creation of law, do not meet the requirement of the said adequacy.

About ELI-Unidroit Rules Adoption and Translation into Ukrainian

The Model European Rules of Civil Procedure prepared by the European Law Institute with the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law during 2013-2021 have a great potential impact on the harmonisation of civil procedure and have attracted the attention of scholars from all over the world. For Ukraine, as well as for other EU entrance candidate countries, these Rules are an opportunity to harmonise the national civil process with EU law and create the necessary basis for the adaptation of European law and EU membership. In view of this, the preparation of their official translation into Ukrainian, which will be carried out is a relevant issue. To properly implement this task, a scientific council has been formed, which includes leading Ukrainian scientists and specialists in the field of civil procedure. Moreover, in order to methodologically support the translation process, ensure terminological consistency and uniformity, a terminological English-Ukrainian glossary of Model Rules of Civil Procedure is being compiled in parallel with the translation process. Establishing methodological basis of translation and careful choosing sources of reference is another important condition for quality translation. See more about Ukrainian translation of the Rules in this note.

Terminological cooperation in the biomedical field

Abstract This paper deals with collaborative terminological activities in the biomedical field. Efficient communication based on uniform language use is a prerequisite for safe and cost-efficient patient care. Terminological consistency and standardization are therefore central issues in healthcare with high societal relevance. The objectives of this contribution are (1) to show how actors from different disciplines and institutions are involved in the standardization of medical terminology and electronic terminology systems; (2) to describe how translation-oriented terminological principles affect the translation of the Systematic Nomenclature of Medicine – Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT). The challenges of this approach will be discussed and some suggestions for its further development will be made.

Assessing legal terminological variation in institutional translation

Abstract This paper presents the main findings of a study on the translation of national court names in United Nations texts as an illustrative group of culture-bound terms. It focuses on documents produced as part of several mandatory compliance monitoring procedures in the field of human rights. The study is part of a broader project on legal translation in international organisations (LETRINT), which considers terminological consistency and adequacy as indicators of translation quality, and examines the impact of legal asymmetry on both dimensions. To shed light on the first of these indicators, a comprehensive analysis of intertextual and intratextual variations of English-Spanish and French-Spanish translations of thirty terms was conducted. Over five thousand bi- and trilingual segments, extracted from three ad-hoc multilingual and parallel corpora, were examined. They cover the period between 2000 and 2017, and refer to six legal systems. At the intertextual level, the results corroborate that legal asymmetry has a significant impact on translation decision-making, while the assessment of intratextual variation points to a link between source text length, documental series and the degree of terminological consistency.