Terminology studies as a science

Specialised lexicon
means of fixing history of development of a civilization and one of means of its formation - language and, first of all, special lexicon
set of lexical units (first of all terms) special areas of knowledge and forming the special layer of lexicon which is giving in most easily to conscious regulation and streamlining

“Language for Special Purposes” (LSP)
A “term” is generally understood to be a “lexical unit” belonging to a “Language for Special Purposes” (LSP). LSPs are, themselves, understood to constitute the language used in specific subject fields. Thus terms, and terminologies, are typically considered to be subject-field-specific lexical units, such as in the various fields of science, technology, humanities, commerce, and so forth.

Словарь Д.Н. Ушакова
ТЕРМИН, термина, м. (латин. terminus - предел, граница). 1. В формальной логике - понятие, выраженное словом (филос.). Три термина силлогизма. 2. слово, являющееся названием строго определенного понятия. Точный, неточный термин. Удачный, неудачный термин. Новый термин. Философские термины. Технические термины. Специальные термины (обозначающие специальные понятия отдельных отраслей науки, искусства, техники, производств и т.д.). ...для масс надо писать без таких новых терминов, кои требуют особого объяснения... Ленин. Ѓ Специальное слово и выражение, принятое для обозначения чего-н. в той или иной среде, профессии. Термины карточных игр. Шахматные термины.

Commentary to the definition provided by the Ushakov’s dictionary
No distinction of terms, nomenclature designations and words and phraseological units from popular professional speech

“Historically, the first usage of ‘terminology’ is recorded as referring to a technical vocabulary, i.e. a collection of terms, which has a certain coherence by the fact that the terms belong to a single subject area. It is now also used somewhat more narrowly to refer to an internally consistent and coherent set of terms belonging to a single subject field, as identified as a result of a particular terminological activity, e.g. the compilation of systematic glossaries” (Sager 1990, p. 3).

The word “terminology”
is inherently ambiguous – it can refer to an academic discipline (related to lexicology and linguistics)
a profession occupied by a “terminologist”
a set of theories and methodologies (such as the General Theory of Terminology = Terminology Studies)
a set of terms, such as in “legal terminology” or “medical terminology.”

Some facts
90% of the new words appearing in the modern languages belongs to specialised lexicon
the number of terms of separate sciences (chemistry, biology) can exceed number of non-specialised words of a language
On the average each 25 years the number of sciences doubles
Threat of "a terminological flood

Terminological word stock
probably the only area of language, where conscious intervention can be effective

More facts
In the 1940s - 4 theses on terminology studies
in the 1950th - 50 theses,
in the 1960th – 231 theses,
in the 1970th - 463 theses,
the 1980th - about 1000 theses

Branches
Theoretical :: practical
General :: specialised
Typological :: comparative
Semasiological :: onomasiological
functional
historical
cognitive \ gnoseological terminology,
terminography
Terminological text theory
History of terminology

Streamlining of special lexicon provides mutual understanding of experts

‘Good’ and ‘bad’ terms
Robert Boyle: “the chemical analysis”
Carl Linnaeus: laid the foundations for the modern biological naming scheme of binomial nomenclature
M. V. Lomonosov: system of linguistic terms in Russian

1960s the USA
Streamlining of names of spare parts
9000 units =>2300units
700 kg =>100 kg
4,6 m3 =>0,85 m3

1993 European Council:
specialty "terminologist" included into the list of the most perspective specialties of 21 century

Theoretical problems of terminology studies
Practical problems of terminology studies
Links to other sciences

The objectives of Terminology (as intended by Wüster, as formulated by Cabré)
To eliminate ambiguity from technical languages by means of standardization of terminology in order to make them efficient tools of communication.
To convince all users of technical languages of the benefits of standardised terminology.
To establish terminology as a discipline for all practical purposes and to give it the status of a science.

Directions of terminological work
Creating inventory of terms
Terminology streamlining:
- systematization of concepts
- analysis of terminological word stock
Normalization of terms:
- unification
- optimization
Codification (including standardization and recommendations)
Harmonization (for several languages)

Wüster’s Terminology
the classic view in terminology or the Vienna school.
has been subjected to critique especially from linguists who stress that language should be perceived as a vehicle for communicating meaning by means of generalized symbols as lexemes that signify meaning by by reference to culturally constrained concepts and ideas.