LECTURE 1

TERMINOLOGY AS A SCIENCE
The Role of Terminology Science

Today a large majority of documents are

designed for professional communication.
They are written in special language, 30-80%
of which is composed of terms. In other
words, terminology is the main vehicle by
which facts, opinions and other "higher" units
of knowledge are represented and conveyed.
Terminology reduces ambiguity and
increases clarity.
Terminology first appeared in an academic
setting at the beginning of the 1970s when
Eugen Wüster, an engineer, gave a course
titled Introduction to the General Terminology
Theory and Terminological Lexicography at
the University of Vienna. Wüster established
a foundation tor working methods and
principles for Terminology, with the aim of
standardizing scientific language.
Terminology, the discipline concerned with the study
and compilation of specialized terms is not a new
field of study, but only in recent decades has it been
systematically developed, with full consideration of
its principles, bases and methodology. Its social and
political importance has now also been recognized
on both the national and the international scale.
Terminology, as we understand it today, first began
to take shape in the 1930s and has only recently
moved from amateurism to a truly scientific
approach.
The Origin of Terminology Science

In the 18th and 19th centuries scientists were the

leaders in terminology; in the 20th century engineers
and technicians have become involved. The rapid
progress and development of technology required
not only the naming of new concepts, but also
agreement on the terms used. The Austrian E.
Wüster (1898±1977), being considered the founder
of modern terminology and the main representative
of what is known as the Vienna School, came from
the field of engineering, as did the Russian D. S.
Lotte (1889±1950), founder of the Soviet School of
Terminology.
 The objectives intended by Wiister
were:

 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.
The work of Eugen Wüster is considered to
be the basis for the beginning of the
terminology science. The three classical
schools of terminology, the Austrian
(Vienna), the Soviet and the Czech (Prague)
schools, all emerge from this work. His work
was also the base for the so-called General
Theory of Terminology, which was later
developed and enhanced by his successors.
 Following Pierre Auger in his La terminologie aи
Quebec et dans Іе monde, de la naissance à la
maturité' (1988) we identify four basic periods in the
development of modern terminology:
 a. the origins (1930±1960)
 b. the structuring of the field (1960±1975)
 c. the boom (1975±1985)
 d. the expansion (1985±present)
The initial period of development of the study of
terminology (I930±1960) was characterized by the
design of methods for the systematic formation of
terms.
In the second stage of development (1960±1975),
the most important innovations in terminology came
from the development of mainframe computers and
documentation techniques. At this time the first
databanks appeared, and the international
coordination of principles of terminology processing
was initiated. During this period the first approaches
were made to standardize terminology within a
language.
The third stage i.e. the boom of terminology between
1975 and 1985 is marked by the proliferation of
language planning and terminology projects. The
significance of the role of terminology in the
modernization of a language became apparent in
this period.
In the most recent period of development
(1985±present) some new issues are worth
mentioning. Computer science is one of the most
important forces behind changes in terminology.
Terminologists now have at their disposal tools and
resources that are better adapted to their needs,
more user-friendly and more effective.
 In the history of post-soviet terminology science it is
possible to detect four periods by S. Hrinev (Сергій
Вікторович Грінєв), V. Leichyk (Володимир Мойсеєвич
Лейчик):

 The preparatory period of selecting and primary processing of

the terms and definitions related to special concepts, which
starts from the beginning of the translation of the terms and
compilation of the first Russian terminological dictionary in
1780 up to the end of 1920.
 The first period (1930-1960) is characterized by a theory of
terminology coming into being and high activities of the two
major experts with technical background — D. S. Lotte and E.
K. Drezen who promoted an engineering approach to
terminology that determined greatly the future practice in
standardisation and internationalisation of terminology. Within
the same period significant contribution to the development of
terminological theory was brought by two outstanding Russian
linguists О. O. Reformatskyi and H. O. Vynokur.
The second period (1970-1990) is marked by the fact that
terminology is becoming an independent discipline. Different
views on special lexicon and the ways it has improved are
specified, scientific efforts of theoreticіans in terminology meet
the efforts of linguists, logicians, specialists in information
science to define the subject and objectives of terminology
science, to improve its methods and to articulate its basic
problems. Among the works of Russian terminologists of this
period should be mentioned investigations by B. N. Holovin; S.
V. Hrinev, V. P. Danilenko, T. L. Kandelaki, R. Kobrin, О. V.
Superanskaia, V. A. Tatarinov, N. V. Vasilieva, M. N.
Volodina.
The third period (since 1990th up to now)
started with an evident decline of scientific
research in the sphere of terminology studies
caused by deep and difficult changes in the
social life of the former USSR but, then, it is
followed by gradual renewal.
 The Development of Ukrainian
Terminology Science

 At the territory of Kiev Rus the first text related to the

terminology is “І cборник Святослава” (Manuscript of
Sviatoslav) where unfamiliar words from the Bible and
astrological concepts were explained.
 The Ukrainian national renaissance of the 19-20 centuries led to
the development of the Ukrainian terminology. The first attempt
in the Ukrainian terminology science was made by M.
Levchenko (Михайло Михайлович Левченко). In July 1861 in
the journal «Основа» (Fundamentals) he published the article
«Заметка о русинской терминологии» (Notes about Rus
terminology) stating that scientific terms must be composed
under the influence of national language, scientific words must
be understood by all the people.
 Т. Shevchenko Scientific Community played a significant role in the
conscious collective term formation. It was created in 1873. Their aim
was to create a scientific Ukrainian language. We differentiate two
groups of their representatives namely adherents of the idea that terms
must be created on the national language base (I. Verkhratskyi (Іван
Григорович Верхратський), V. Levytskyi (Володимир Йосипович
Левицький)) and those that support the conception of international
language (I. Horbachevskyі (Іван Якович Горбачевський), І.
Kandiak (Іван Кандяк), S. Rudnytskyi (Степан Львович
Рудницький)).
 1920s of the 20 century is called the terminological boom in Ukraine.
According to the encyclopedia “Ukrainian language" 83 terminological
dictionaries were published. This period is marked by such
researchers as V. Dubrovskyi, O. Kurylo, T. Sekunda, I. Sheludko.
 The dictionaries of this period were
characterized by:

 elimination of borrowings and replacement of’ inappropriate

Ukrainian language derivative models: words with suffix –
щик: мочильщик (соломы) — мочій, мраморщик —
мармурник, муфельщик — муфельник, наборщик -
набирач, складач, узірник; надзорщик – дозорець; nouns
with suffix -к(а); засыпка — засинання, засип; перегрузка
— 1) (грузим, кладью) — перевантага,
перевантажування; 2) (силовая — машины) переобтяж,
переобтяжування; перемотка (ниток, якорей) —
перевивання, перемотування.
 replacement of foreign terms with national ones: ирригация
— обводнения, контакт — дотик, фотометр -
світломір, пресс — гніт, на фільтр — цідило, на
вентиляцію — провітрювання, на кран – звід.
 term creation by Ukrainian models. Terms with -аці(я) has to
be replaced by the terms with –нн(я): фіксація —
закріплення, акумуляція – нагромадження, герметизація —
ущільнення, оксиляція — коливання, експлуатація —
використання. Borrowed terms with -ер has to be replaced by
the terms with -ач: абсорбер — вбирач, мікшер — змішувач,
рекордер — звукозаписувач
 or terms with -ник (denoting professions): контролер —
перевірник, монтер — установник; the terms with -тор has
to be replaced by the terms -ик, -ник: індикатор — покажчик,
показник, амортизатор — гамівник, вентилятор —
вітровик, екстинктор – вогнегасник.
 avoiding forms of active participles: греющий — грійний,
отстающийся — залишковий, опрокидывающийся —
перекидалъний, размеливающий – розмельний.
 replacement of multicomplex terms with one component
units: гвоздь шинный — шинель(ля); мастерская
колесная — колісня; завод бандажнопрокатный —
шиновальцярня; в шахматном порядке – шахівницею.
 revival of the old terms: дуб – a big boat for 20-40 people,
герць — a grapple involving a little number of soldiers, чайка
- flowing vehicle).
The Institute of Scientific Ukrainian Language was created on the 30th of
May, 1921; it was headed by A. Krymskyі (Агатангел Юхимович
Кримський). But in 1931 it was closed down, and the russification of the
Ukrainian scientific language started. In 70-80s of the 20 century the
theoretical terminology science started to develop. The following
theoretical works appeared V. Ovcharenko (Вадим Миколайович
Овчаренко) “Структура і семантика науково-технічного терміна"
(Structure and Semantics of Scientific and Technical Term) (1968), T.
Panko (Таміла Іванівна Панько) "Від терміна до системи" (From a
Term to a System), Т. Kyiak (Тарас Романович Кияк)
"Лингвистические аспекты терминоведения" (Linguistics Aspects of
Terminology Science) (1989), E. Skorokhodko (Едуард Федорович
Скороходько) “Питання перекладу англійської технічної літератури
(переклад термінів)" (The Issue of English Technical Literature
Translation (Translation of Terms)) (1963).
With the Ukrainian independence the Ukrainian
Scientific Language has started to renew. In 1992
Technical Committee For Scientific And Technical
Terminology Standardization (TC STTS) was
created.
There are three main terminology centers: in Kiev at
the Institute of the Ukrainian language (headed by L.
Symonenko (Людмила Олександрівна
Симоненко)), in Lviv at the National University “Lviv
Polytechnic” (headed by B. Rytsar (Богдан Рицар))
and in Kharkiv (headed by M. Hinzburh (Михайло
Давидович Гінзбург)).