Tiptoeing towards TBX: strategies for terminology management at a language services provider

This paper describes some of the strategies which a language services provider is compelled to adopt to deal with the issue of terminology. It is based on my experience at TransForm GmbH, a small LSP based in Cologne, Germany. Translators soon learn about terminology—how useful it is, how infuriating it can be, and its high potential for causing addictive, time-wasting behaviour (sometimes referred to as “terminological research on the Internet”). Terminology work is a part of what translators do—and not necessarily because we want to. Terminology can be defined as “the language discipline dedicated to the scientific study of the concepts and terms used in specialized languages.” This quote is taken from the Pavel Terminology Tutorial—which is an excellent place to start learning about terminology and its application. There is, of course, a wide range of other literature, courses, books etc. available on the subject of terminology. But it’s really about organizing and structuring data. Terminology is defined in terms of the subject area—what might be called the general context of the term. Terms represent concepts in use within particular subject areas. Here’s another quote from Pavel: “The importance of correct terminology to accurate and effective communication in special languages has become increasingly obvious ... as has the need to standardize the terminology used by groups of individuals and organizations with common interests.” The structure of terminological data