Terminologists – what makes this job so important.

Why is terminology so important?

People have been miscommunicating with one another forever. Such misunderstandings can sometimes lead to dangerous situations. In the past, entire terminologies have been developed to overcome the imperfections of everyday language. You will find a few examples below.

The benefits of terminology work

Exact terminology is also a critically important aspect of everyday business operations. The reason is quite simple: The lack of an exact and generally accepted name for a certain product or work complicates interactions with suppliers, internal stakeholders and customers. Vague or different terminology for the same product or work frequently results in misunderstandings and uncertainty. Uniform corporate language is – much like corporate identity – a vital feature of a company’s identity.

Meticulous terminology management by a terminologist can help as early as the product development stage to write a clear definition of a product or a section of a product, ensuring that this term is used in all marketing material and internal documents. This is why companies must implement professional terminology management tools.

Terminologists keep people on the same page

Such an approach is the only way to ensure that all employees speak the same language. By doing so, companies can improve their customer experience and increase customer satisfaction – which, in turn, will fuel company growth.

For this reason, every company should add the skills of a professional terminologist to its team – to guarantee the success of projects and avoid misunderstandings caused by language inconsistencies or incorrect terminology. Companies that use and maintain a professional terminology system will enable their technical teams to effectively work with one another.

The job of terminologist

Terminologists are individuals whose skills ensure that the meaning of words and expressions is clear and precise. Ideally, they use modern terminology systems that are available to everyone. This is particularly important in a globalized world where people from all parts of the world work together. If terminology standards are not clearly specified in a source language, the number of unclear terms will multiply in translations into foreign languages. Imprecise terminology has a negative impact on all target markets, causes unnecessary confusion and misunderstandings and can ultimately endanger a company’s success.

A terminologist’s training

A direct training program is not typically how people become terminologists. Few people actively study terminology science. Many terminologists sort of slip into the role unwittingly. This usually occurs while they are pursing their degrees in translation or interpreting. But a few universities now offer a master’s degree program in terminological studies. At the Cologne University of Applied Sciences, the program is called the master’s degree program in “terminology and language technology.”

The program is designed for students who hold bachelor’s degrees in “multilingual communications” from the university’s Institute of Translation and Multilingual Communication as well as for graduates of non-translation degree programs at other institutes of higher learning who have the necessary base of knowledge and ability to become a terminologist.

Terminology management is knowledge management

Anyone who has done any terminology work in the past knows just how frustrating it can be if the fruits of their months-long work simply disappear into someone’s desk drawer or file and become inaccessible. Rectifying the situation needs the right tools. Ideally, these tools should be available centrally (e.g., online).

This is the only way to ensure that all stakeholders speak the same language everywhere, from technical documentation and product management and marketing to language service providers – worldwide. Terminology work pays off in such cases and can be used in its entirety.

The skills of a terminologist frequently does not come cheap. But when technical terms, expertise and years of experience and speciality knowledge are made accessible to every member of a company, the expense will more than pay for itself over the long term.

Clear terminology when it counts

Precise terminology can ensure clarity in many different industries. For instance: – In science to make complicated topics and new knowledge understandable – In politics to detail controversial issues – In business to market products and work – In health and medical care to precisely describe illnesses and treatments – In clinical informatics to structure medical and health information – In technology to explain devices and processes – In IT to describe new software and hardware – In global contexts to maintain consistent quality in the translation process – In the creation of interoperability frameworks to ensure compliance with data standards

Terminology on the seas

A company’s very own terminology may even be developed when it is necessary to communicate unambiguously, even under difficult conditions. One well-known instance of terminology management is the terms used to identify the sides of a ship. The words “right” or “left” will do little good because the person with whom you are speaking (or to whom you are trying to communicate in a storm) may have a different position from your own. But the terms “starboard” and “port” are totally clear, no matter which direction you are looking.

Terminology in the skies

Aviation radio has taken terminology a step farther. English is the official language of international air traffic. In the early years of flying, the sound quality of transmit and reception equipment was very poor. It needed a system of terms that were as short as possible to prevent the active frequency from being overloaded and had the least potential for misunderstanding.

This is one reason why the “NATO alphabet” was created. To transmit a plane identification name like “D-ECPT” in such a way that it is clearly understood, it helps very little to spell out the letters “De Eh Ce Pe Te.” Each letter has a similar sound to it. And if you throw in a little ambient noise and static, misunderstandings will be pre-programmed. But when you say “Delta Echo Charlie Papa Tango,” you will certainly get your message across.

Aviation radio terminology has changed over the years. One of the reasons for the tragic accident on Teneriffa in which two jumbo jets collided on the ground in 1977 was the possible mixup of the sentences “We are now at take-off” and “We are ready for take-off.” This resulted in a disastrous misunderstanding between the pilot and air traffic controller that led to the catastrophic accident. The accident resulted in a revision of official “radio terminology.” A pilot now says “ready for departure” and NOT “ready for takeoff” when his or her aircraft is positioned for takeoff on the runway. Both are synonymous terms. But additional clarity was created by establishing a uniform use of the terminology and the rules governing its use. The risk of another fatal misunderstanding was eliminated in the process.

Final thoughts

These examples from seafaring and aviation may be very dramatic, but they also demonstrate the value of the ability to communicate unambiguously and of terminology management.

Regardless of the area involved, be it in technical documentation and marketing or some other completely different company area, experts must be able to reliably communicate with one another and share knowledge about a topic, and they have to do so in a manner that extends across various languages. Business and technical terminology must be clearly defined for such work.

This is where terminologists come in. Terminology services help us make the world a little more understandable and prevent misunderstandings.