making terms matter 2015. henrik nilsson, tnc

Västra vägen 7 B169 61 Solna

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Webbplats: www.tnc.seE-post: [email protected]

© Terminologicentrum TNC

Terminology,target groups

and TIAs

Henrik Nilsson, Terminologicentrum TNCMaking Terms Matter Again! (InterverbumTech)

25 September 2015


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• target group adaptation– terms– definitions– interfaces, etc. (Case 1)

• redundancy• TIA

– definition– methodology– Case 2 & 3

Agenda


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Case 1: Statistics Sweden

[Statistics Sweden]


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• hardcore, ”true” terminology records– ”bare” definition format– other terms in definitions → other records

• = not user-friendly!?– user must click several times → loses track

• solution = principle of substitution?

Problem


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Principle of substitution

metal with atomic number 26iron

steel alloy with iron as chief constituent and with carbon content so low thatsolidification is not accompanied by the formation of either cementite or graphite

steel alloy with the metal with atomicnumber 26 as chief constituent and with carbon content so low thatsolidification is not accompanied by the formation of either cementite or graphite


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Principle of substitution iteratedpolicyintentions and direction of an organization (3.1.13) as formally expressed by its top management (3.1.23) →

policyintentions and direction of a person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships to achieve its objectives (3.1.12) as formally expressed by its person or group of people who directs and controls an organization (3.1.13) at the highest level →

policyintentions and direction of a person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships to achieve its results to be achieved as formally expressed by its person or group of people who directs and controls a person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships to achieve its results to be achieved at the highest level


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• hardcore, ”true” terminology records– ”bare” definition format– terms in definitions → other records

• = not user-friendly!?– user must click several times → loses track

• solution ≠ principle of substitution!• solution = technical

Problem


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Case 1: Statistics Sweden

[Statistics Sweden]


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• human users:• experts• terminologists• translators• personnel

• officials (at authorities and agencies)• the media• the general public (?)

• machines:• other term banks• other software (translation, authoring etc.)

Termbank user groups


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”Bearing in mind that the user may be a translator, a specialist in the field or a teacher wishing to use the termbank for instruction, the resulting ’picture’ presented to the user must be crystal clear.”

[Sager & McNaught, 1980]


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· Search (preferences, profile): · very common

· Hit list:· common

· Record display:· macro- and microstructure: varies

· fixed (vertical) order: common· user can choose display of various fields

· ”metalanguage”: almost always· field granulation: sometimes· graphic means: quite common

· Functionalities· several ways of performing the same operation

Target group adaptation:access & display


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· terms· different terms for different target groups· (but: term often kept in simplified versions?)

· definitions· different wording of definitions for different target

groups

Target group adaptation: contents


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Jargon expressions

utomkvedshavandeskapblindtarmsinflammationthree day measles; German measles

Xapp

Terms

”General” terms

extrauterin graviditetappendicitRubellas

Target group adaptation: terms


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New data categories

[Madsen et al, 2012]

· register· specialist–specialist· specialist–layman· layman–layman


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breathing zone(general definition) space around the worker’s face from wherehe or she takes his or her breath

breathing zone(technical definition) hemisphere (generally accepted to be0,3 m in radius) extending in front of the human face, centredon the mid point of a line joining the ears; the base of the hemisphere is a plane through this line, the top of the head and the larynx.

[ISO/DIS 15202-1]

Same concept – different definitions

Various target groups?


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General Definition of Biodiesel:Biodiesel is a domestic, renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from natural oils like soybean oil, and which meets the specifications of ASTM D 6751.

Technical Definition for Biodiesel (ASTM D 6751):Biodiesel, a fuel comprised of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, designated B100, and meeting the requirements of ASTM D 6751.

[http://www.mid-americabiofuels.com/biodieselinfo/]

Target group adaptation: definitions

→ data category for definition usage


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· terms· different terms for different target groups

· definitions· different wording of definitions for different target

groups

→ redundancy!?

Target group adaptation: contents


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Redundancy· definitions:

· data, in a database, which can be removed withoutinformation being lost [GIS-ordboken]

· a word, phrase, etc., that repeats something else and is therefore unnecessary [Merriam-Webster]

· superfluous repetition [Merriam-Webster]· existence of more than one means for performing a

required function when needed [SS-EN 13306]

· more data and more storage space redundancy?· store more than one thinks, but store more than necessary

(terms, definitions)? = unnecessary, costly?· but: misused terms, deficient terms etc. need to be

included· but: useful in target group adaptation?


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Redundancy

· terms· synonyms in several places in one resource for

retrieval reasons· several term records with different terms, but identical

definitions, comments etc. → unwillingness torecommend

· look-up terms· when there IS information about the concept in the term

record: instead of a proper record· when there IS NO information about the concept in the

term record: help the user to find the record· where does one draw the line for deprecated, deficitient,

misspelt etc. variants?


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Redundancy (cont.)

· definitions· several (almost) identical definitions· ”incorporated definitions” (when there IS another

record for the concept in question) → instead of linkto a related term record; or keep to spare the userfrom searching again or clicking/looking at severalrecords

··


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Identical definitions


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• same (general) definition kept over the years redundancy

• solution:sorption

superordinate term for absorption and adsorptionSource: Vattenordlista; Betongteknisk ordlista; VA-teknisk ordlista

but:• each macrostructure (cross-references etc.)

might have to be adjusted


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Almost identical definitions


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• almost identical definition redundancy

• solution:• adjust into one definition

but:• which definition = template?• visibility for each supplier (who gets the

honour?)• macro structure of each collection?• other information (”stacked” note, equivalents

etc.)?


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User survey (Rikstermbanken)

GoodBadNo opinion

16. If your search for a particular term generated several hits, what do you think about that?

84,3 % (172)2,0 % (4)

13,7 % (28)

27 skipped question17 comments


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User survey (cont.)

You can always make comparisons yourself and see the different domains they belong to.

One must try to make one’s own assessment of what is relevant then. Of course it can be bad if there are synonyms.

Normally very good, but sometimes I feel some are identical.

The more the merrier!

Nothing that disturbs presently, but if you get far too many hits from different sources with similar definitions or explanations then ... well, then it would work better to merge the records.

Since the same term is often used within various domains, it is good that all hits are visible, even if they are not directly relevant. I do not think a domain classification is required already on the search page, as it would limit the number of hits.


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Redundancy: term record level

[EU: CBRNE Glossary]


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indication of synonymy

indication of synonymy in comment

ENGELSK TERM (ACCEPTERAD)

SVENSK TERM (ACCEPTERAD)


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Redundancy

· advantages• clearer (for certain users?)• no need to look in several places and potentially

missed out on information• better search results

· disavantages• counters the principle one concept–one record• double storage → management in several places• repeated information• hard to interpret• more hits• takes time (production and consumtion stage)


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• = important for terminology products!

• But: sometimes over-estimated, esp. concerninghuman users and layout of term banks?

• Demand, frequency of usage vs developmentcosts?

• Do efforts in user adaptation when it comes tooutput/layout pay off?

• Is customization of output/layout over-estimated?

User adaptation!?


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1. Objectives and planning2. Term collection3. Concept-based structuring4. Linguistic assessment and revision5. Creation of new terms6. Terminology administration7. Terminology provision and distribution8. Terminology maintenance9. Control of terminology usage

9 stages of terminology management

[Drewer in Großjean, 2009]


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• all terminology-related measures must be economicallymotivated• before any work is started, needs should be demonstrated and prioritized• choice of terms and definitions should, as far as possible, be managed by those technical instances who have the need and the knowledge• existing terminology, internal and external, shall naturallybe used, but methods to make it known and accessible needto be improved

Terminology work in organizations

[LME, 1980]


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· terminology work (ISO 704, ISO 15188)· terminology inventory and terminology evaluation (ISO 23185, research …)· terminology creation· terminology usage (incl. TIA – terminological impact assessment)· terminology updating (ISO 19104)· terminology storage & terminology distribution (ISO)· terminology education, terminology training· documentation· measuring, evaluation? (terminometry)

Terminology processes


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”Impact Assessment is a means of measuring the effectiveness of organisational activities and judging the significance of changes brought about by those activities. It is neither Art or Science, but both. Impact assessment is intimately linked to Mission, and, in that sense, ripples through the organisation. Being able to assess and articulate impact is a powerful means of communicating, internally and externally, the contribution of activities […]. Impact is seen as the positive and negative, intended or unintended long-term results produced by an […] operation […], either directly or indirectly. Impact should be seen as the contribution of the intervention to the overall goal.”

impact assessment

[CBD]


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• assessment of how consequences […] affect people, structures the environment, etc. (ISO/TS 18683:2015)• process of evaluating the likely […] impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related […] impacts, both beneficial and adverse (CBD)• tool used to identify the […] impacts of a project prior to decision-making (UNEP)

• environmental impact assessment (EIA)• social impact assessment (SIA)• strategic impact assessment• linguistic impact assessment (LUL?)•

impact assessment


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• definition• any combination of procedures or methods by which a proposed terminology policy or program may be judged as to the effect(s) it may have on […] a population”• process of evaluating the likely […] impacts of a proposed terminology project or development, taking into account inter-related […] impacts, both beneficial and adverse• tool used to identify the […] impacts of a terminologyproject prior to decision-making

• levels?• methodology (cf. terminometry)• by whom? (terminologists, decision-makers, teachers, translators, journalists, experts?)• public participation?

TIA:terminological impact assessment


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EIA methodology


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TIA methodology

• screening• for what terminology measures is a TIA necessary?

• scoping• impacts and alternatives (incl. no action alternative)

• drafting of TIA• evaluate impacts and alternatives; quantifications and

comparisons• reporting & review →• decision-making

• post-TIA monitoring• monitor project implementation and actual impacts

• terminometry


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TIA measures: examples

Measure Benefit + Disbenefit −Work with terminologyHire terminologistCreate termbank

Introduce several definitionsIntroduce several terms

Reword definition

Change termChange equivalent


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Case 2: ”pregnancy benefit”

· terminology change proposed in investigation:”havandeskapspenning” ”graviditetspenning”

· reasons?· sounded old-fashioned? (but ”havandeskaps-” still

used in medicine: ”havandeskapsförgiftning”)· transparency?· other (political, status, etc.)?

· impacts· change of multiple documents (forms etc.)· redirection of searches for old term· several terms for the same concept· change also in equivalents?· modernized language


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TIA methodology: drafting stage

• methodology:• circulation for comments• consultations• nichesourcing (cf. BFT, Finland: wiki termbank)• CBA?• voting procedures?• frequency measuring?• term-tracking?• ?• ?


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regulation

term ”X”+ def.

X

X

Xlaw

X

X

X

§

brochure

X

X

X

book

X

X

X

catalogue

X

X

X

”Term tracking”


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Case 3: ”sjukpeng” etc.

· short, non-existent term, created by the media:”sjukpenning” ”sjukpeng”

· reasons?· length· transparency?· honesty (tell it like it is, no euphemisms)· target group adaptation

· impacts· redirection of searches for non-existent term· several terms for the same concept· change also in equivalents?· ”tell it like it is”· raised transparency and understanding → democracy


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TIA methodology: drafting stage

• methodology:• search statistics, customer service statistics etc.• frequency measuring?• change in existing systems, templates, correction

tools• term-tracking?• crowdsourcing, interviews etc.?• ?


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”When used correctly, TIA can be a powerful decision-making tool. It can help to identify and assess the potential impacts of a proposed project or activity, analyze the impacts of alternative formulations of the project or activity, and provide an informed basis for determining whether and how to proceed.”

[Bruch et al, 2007, p. 391]


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1. Objectives and planning• trust from:

• management• financial department• pr department• it department• colleagues

• trust in• other (external) parties• chosen way of working together

• (through) trust in:• described processes & routines (standards)• roles and responsibilities (other organizations)

Trust & terminology management

through TIA?


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TNCVästra vägen 7 B, Terrassen169 61 SolnaTfn: 08-446 66 00Fax: 08-446 66 [email protected]

making terms matter 2015. henrik nilsson, tnc

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