Situation in Slovakia

Political, economic and social transformation/changes in Slovakia after 1989 have had a profound impact on terminology and specialised communication. Slovak language has seen spontaneous and uncontrolled accumulation of terms for more than 15 years, which resulted in coinage of multiple synonyms and excessive and often unnecessary borrowing of terms from English and other languages.

Moreover, Slovak society has been facing double vaccum/void in terms of the most significant lapse of terminological activities in the post-war history as well as in terms of terminological analysis and studies recording modification of foreign terminological systems and their comparison with Slovak ones. Although terminological activity in Slovakia has suffered the greatest fallout in last 50 years, it was not suppressed completely. Quality bilingual or unilingual specialised dictionaries have been sporadically published and thesis and articles on theory of terminology have been written and published especially in the revue Kultúra slova, organ of JÚĽŠ SAV, Matica slovenská and Ministry of Education but have known only modest feed-back. No treatment/reception of foreign theories, technologies and methodologies.

Nowadays – the only way how to break this deadlock is the centralisation of terminological data. Some institutions, aware of this need, set up terminology databases – e.g. In the National Bank of Slovakia and in the Slovak Institute of Technical Normalisation. However, those are only domain limited databases with specific, very narrowly defined aims – the former is an in-house tool for the employees of the Bank while the latter is used by the creators and translators of technical norms. As a mater of fact, these banks do not provide any access for lay public.No full-time terminologists that are very scarce in Slovakia due to the fact that Slovak universities do not offer degree in terminology.

Importance of this project is emphasised also by the process of drawing up Slovak texts of European law, which reveal to be unsatisfactory as far as terminology is concerned => demand for harmonisation and unification of present-day terminology especially in the fields of economy and law.

This situation hampers/does not contribute to make scientific knowledge clear and accessible neither for specialists, producers and lawmakers nor for universities, translators and interpreters. Effective specialised communication requires unambiguous terminology. Therefore terminology monitoring, coordination, analysis of the special vocabularies and unification of pertinent results in form of glossaries, dictionaries, terminological standards or terminology databases, which present-day Slovakia lacks, is considered to be apriority.

This know-how represents a key factor as the contemporary terminological tendences stress the model of text and corpus approach as a sine qua non prerequisite of every terminological project and especially the design of a terminology database. Nowadays, the process of systematic gathering of terms is based exclusively on representative samples of specialised texts/corpora, supervised and validated by specialists and terminologists. At the same time, information extracted from a text represents a reliable indicator of changes, ensures the only plausible data for building and revising terminological records (Sager 1990:131). Centralisation of various terminologies under one administration, continuous modification and updating of term records and narrow collaboration of terminological boards, translators and specialists is nowadays considered to be the only way of terminological harmonisation, and standardisation.

Project of the Slovak National Terminology Database

- set up terminological database provided with conceptual and linguistic information

-drew inspiration from foreign examples and adapted the project to Slovak needs and present-day possibilities/možnosti of the JULS keeping in mind future cooperation and exchange of data with leading European database IATE. That is why the project opted for EUROVOC 4.2. Thesaurus

-text corpora are time- and place-conditioned, Project methodology has drawn inspiration, from the linguistic point of view from the approved model of semasiological approach to the terminology extraction of lexical units from running texts – potential terminological units from specialised texts and identification of the concept they refer to. (Bourigault, Jacquemin???)

Its main asset consists in centralising common as well as new terms under one administration that will enable systematic care of terminology of particular fields. It will create an ideal platform for dialogue of field experts and linguists on problematic and controversial terms and for accepting new terminologies. Thus the project has great potential to eliminate inconsistency and excessive terminology variations, which are particularly striking in the field of economy in Slovakia. The Department have all the resources needed for the project at its disposal – textual base of the Slovak National Corpus itself and software ones for automatic annotation of Slovak texts, developed at the SNC.

No less importance is to be attached to the generation of software tools for automatic extraction of terms and definitions from specialised subcorpora of economic and legal texts with a particular emphasis on the analysis of Slovak written texts.

The SNC team started the preparation of Slovak Terminology Database Project in 2005 by an analysis of existing terminology databases, designing the layout of a term record and it has been chosing and adapting software support of the database. At the same time - text acquisition the focus has been shifted to economic and legal texts as the automatic extraction of terms and definitions from specialised corpora.

It will result in a list of thousands of term candidates, most probably subsequently modified by means of comparative study with quality dictionaries and validation of field experts.

Team linguist will set up guidelines for the term record team – dealing with field priorities and logic of filling up the term records. Term entries, classified according to the EUROVOC 4.2, will be elaborated by individual members and once their obligatory fields completed (1, 3, 5, and 6), they will be stored in the system and sent to the pilot database (1000 entries at the end of the first year).

- The first-stage revision, which is expected to begin at the turn of the first and second year, is to identify qualities and drawbacks of the work methodology and human resources.

- proofreading, revised term records, if need arises, will be corrected by authors and possibly added with English equivalent.

the Lexicographic Department of the Ľ. Štúr Institute, which have been preparing an eight-volume dictionary of Slovak language that will include a share of contemporary specialised vocabularies. Some economic and legal terms have been already validated when compiling of the first volume of the dictionary and that is why a part of the list of entries will serve as the comparative basis for the proposed project‘s list of term entries.

Structure and content of the term record

Proposed layout of the term record (OBL – obligatory field, FAK – optional field)

1.term OBL

2.synonym, abbreviation FAK

3.subject field OBL

4.definition OBL

5.sources/sources OBL

6.context OBL (taken from the subcorpora/net)

7.sources/sources OBL

8.related terms OBL (terms linked to the entry term by various conceptual relations)

9.English equivalent FAK

comment FAK
URL

As the project did not receive funding from the State funding agency (APVV), the team has taken a different path – shifted the emphasis on reusing and adapting of existing terminology resources, published in Kultura slova (accessibility in terms of copyright law) in particular or of our close collaborators. This alternative brought about different issues to deal with – adaptation of terminological records (often edited in encyclopaedic way), communication with their authors; for the time being, the database presents/offers almost 3000 terminological records covered by 8 domains. Quality of definitions (only a part of them written by following strict rules), distinguishing between definition and context and comment, related terms, form, (definition multiple - 2 définition conjointe, separated by a virgil, or ; the same content is realised in two different forms. lexicographer uses them in order to "chasser l'ambiguite"); harmonising different editorial practices. Project’s successful finalisation will create solid basis for the Slovak Terminology Database so that it will enable continuous inserting of new terms and its further covering of other domains of science. Thus the Slovak Terminology Database will become multidomain reference source and „virtual“ terminological norm.

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Key information - Definition represents a microsystem consisting of hierarchically ordered characteristics/features of a concept and their relations. Terminological theory fosters/prefers the so-called Aristotelian definition, started with the hierarchically closest superordinate concept andspecific features (genus et differentia), i.e. “systematically identifies a concept with respect to all others in the particular subject field” Sager (1990:42). This so-called ideal definition, with specific criteria to follow, is usually referred as to intensional (classic) definition[1].comprehensive definition vs extensive definition – commonly known; mixed definitions - part of it as comprehension definition/partly as extensive definition

However, terminological practice faces/records/has seen different typologies of definitions - according to the situation of use, definition mode, formal composition, essence/fond of the definition, function (description, delimitation, distinction), role, means used for defining

depends on the target audience

"Elle n'est que "le reflet sous forme de signes de la structure du concept" Rey 1992 s. 41, Seppala s. 35 – it is only a «reflection in form of signs of the concept structure» but the features included in the definition never totally cover the totality of the concept s. 37

by means of a genus the the definiens/defined concept is associated with a conceptual class/categorised (seppala s. 41); générique – level of generalisation of the definition depends on the level of generalisation of the genre proximum => if it is a genre indirect/vaque/faux incluant => the number de SPE is bigger s. 99

SPE - type de matériau, mode de fabrication, usage, fonction s. 54 - 55

GEN avoir/etre SPE

Rey précise d'ailleurs a ce propos que lorsqu' "il s'agit de déplier des concepts souvent scientifiques et techniques, mais aussi administratifs, juridiques, etc., [...] on ne peut plud se contenter des traits pertinents minimaux, il faut trouver des traits non minimaux - on s'approche ici d'une description" (Ibrahim et Zalessky, 1989, s. 61) Seppala s. 60

definition by implication - une définition qui donne le mot le mot défini dans un contexte explicatif Seppala s. 70 - it usually shows its context of use rather than semantic equivalence by indicating for example participants of an event, process or action Verlinde et al. 1998

in spite of all rules and efforts, definition remains subjective and culturally motivated/influenced (=> need for constant redefining) – should be objective in time and space

Francophone tradition – a definition should start with a capital letter and be finished with a dot.

s. 106 – pattern of relationship between concepts Sager s. 35

SPE – s. 128

B. Kontext sa v terminológii definuje ako „text, ktorý ilustruje používanie pojmu alebo, ktorý dosvedčuje používanie pomenovania“[2], prípadne „text ilustrujúci termín v jeho jazykovom prostredí“[3]

V rámci cieľa terminologického výskumu alebo výsledného terminologického projektu rozoznávajú niekoľko druhov kontextov. V prvom rade sa rozlišuje definičný kontext, ktorý „obsahuje podstatné informácie o pojme“, ale na druhej strane nevykazuje formálne stránky vyžadované pri definícii[4]. Za podstatné informácie sa považujú základné príznaky objektu, jeho funkcia/ie, dôsledky udalosti/deja...

A defining context contains definitive information that may look very much like a definition, but is incomplete or doesn't have the right form for a definition. Sue Ellen Wright /a bit extended ISO definition/

Le contextedéfinitoire éclaire les caractéristiques distinctives du concept,

Le contexte définitoire s’extrait rarement tel quel du corpus, le plus souvent, c’est un

métatexte bref, même un énoncé incomplet, créé à partir du corpus ou d’autres sources deréférence :

ANDRé DUssart,

Nous appellerons ici "énoncé définitoire", tout discours de forme phrastique qui détermine, en tout ou en partie, soit les caractères qui appartiennent à un concept, soit les éléments qui caractérisent une chose, soit encore quelque aspect propre à un signe linguistique(Sant ou Sé) et qui met en oeuvre un vocabulaire particulier qui explicite cette détermination. L'énoncé définitoire pourra donc 'parler' d'un concept, d'une chose ou d'un signe linguistique mais procédera toujours par le recours à un vocabulaire définitoire spécifique (signifier, désigner, s'écrire).

CORPUS SEARCH

–801 occurences in 3 juls-all; 759 occurences 3 snk-all

–veľkosť takéhoto virutálneho korpusu??? Počet dokumentov???

- 25 cisel casopisu ABS; 2x odborný časopis - Materiálové inžinierstvo, 1x komercne texty, 1x popularno-naucna kniha, NEPRIJATELNE - inZIne - 2x, 5x PC REVUE - po 1 vyskyte

Canadian Handbook of Terminology - specialised and popularised periodicals (4. v poradi), brochures and publicity flyers (5. v poradi),

-1 definition (betón [INANIME/ARTIFICIAL]/je/vlastnosť

EX: SSC je betón s veľkou pohyblivosťou a schopnosťou tiecť bez pôsobenia vonkajších dynamických síl, s mimoriadnou odolnosťou proti rozmiešavaniu a segregácií hrubých zložiek čerstvého betónu. ASB - Architektúra. Stavebníctvo. Bývanie 2004/07

-2 defining contexts (t.j.; je charakteristický; zaradenie do skupiny)

EX: Výroba sa sústreďuje do centrálnych výrobní betónu, kde sa vyrába tzv . transportbetón , t . j . čerstvý betón mäkkej alebo tekutej konzistencie , ktorý sa prevezie autodomiešavačom a ktorý sa na stavbe ukladá do debnenia. ASB - Architektúra. Stavebníctvo. Bývanie 2003/07

EX:Vysokopevnostný betón HSC (High Strenght Concrete ) patrí do pomerne nedávno ( v roku 1993 ) vytvorenej skupiny vysokohodnotných betónov – HPC ( High Performance Concrete ) , pre ktoré je charakteristická pevnosť v tlaku vyššia než 65 MPa. ASB - Architektúra. Stavebníctvo. Bývanie 2005/07-08

INTERNET SEARCH

The google search of definitions and defining contexts of following complex terms, which reached the highest (lemma search) the highest occurences in the SNC within texts domain annotated as TEC??? (complex terms with absolute frequency higher than 5???)

Google search executed/done on July 19 – 23 2007

čerstvý betón72425 => 153
pohľadový betón31375 => 92
podkladový betón25308 => 116
asfaltový betón19264 => 82
cementový betón11240 => 32
predpätý betón9256 => 106
vysokopevnostný betón854 => 20
vystužený betón750 => 40
samozhutňujúci betón622 => 14
vodotesný betón5146 => 51
vysokohodnotný betón558 => 23
samozhutniteľný betón456 => 21

We also attempted to look for defining context by using Genitive of searched complex terms but this attempt did not yield any results (this case was usually collocated with a head noun in a noun phrase functioning as nezhodny privlastok??? Such as ???) and thus did not confirm a relevancy of this search path.

From among the occurrences of researched/googled complex terms we obtained 7 defining contexts and 7 definitions. In case of two complex terms we did not get any relevant result.

Structure of acquired definitions:

GEN - betón or zmes (ARTIFICIAL or INANIMATED)

Junctor – je or má

SPE – objemová hmotnosť (PROPR_METRIQUE)

Stav ???

Pevnostná trieda (PROPR_METRIQUE)

Zloženie (CONTENU)

Funkcia (FUNCTION)

EX: obyčajný betón ( 2000 - 2600 kg/m3) - betón, ktorý má po vysušení vsušiarni objemovú hmotnosť väčšiu ako 2000 kg.m-3, ale neprevyšujúcu 2600 kg.m-3

PROPR_METRIQUE, SPATIAL, TEMPOREL???

EX: Čerstvý betón - betón, ktorý je úplne zamiešaný aje ešte vtakom stave, ktorý umožňuje jeho zhutnenie zvoleným spôsobom.

CONDITION, TEMPOREL???, UTILITE

EX: Konštrukčný betón - prostý, železový alebo predpätý betón nosných konštrukcií, spĺňajúci požiadavky statického výpočtu.

PROPR_PHYSIQUE???, CONDITION

EX: Vysokopevnostný betón - betón, ktorý má pevnostnú triedu vtlaku väčšiu ako C 50/60 (B60) pre obyčajný aťažký betón aLC 50/55 (B55) pre ľahký betón.

PROPR_METRIQUE, CONDITION???

EX: samozhutniteľný betón je inovovaný betón, ktorý nevyžaduje vibrovanie pri ukladaní a zhutňovaní.

CONDITION, PROPR_PHYSIQUE???

EX: samozhutniteľný betón [ofic. definicia z tejto smernice] Betón, ktorý je schopný tiecť a spevňovať sa účinkom vlastnej hmotnosti, úplne vyplniť debnenie, aj vo vysoko vystuženom priereze, za súčasného udržiavania homogenity a bez potreby hocijakého dodatočného zhutnenia.

CONDITION, PROPR_PHYSIQUE???, UTILITE

EX: Cementový betón je zmes vysoko kvalitných drtených kamenív, cementu a vody. preklad zčeštiny do slovenčiny

CONTENU, PROPR_PHYSIQUE???

Defining contexts: excerpted joining/typical/key words are

Je charakteristický

Hlavnou charakteristickou vlastnosťou je...

Možno charakterizovať

Combining with next sentences containing the information on the fuction/UTILITY of a specific concrete introduced by following phrases:

Je určený

Sa používa

Ako... sa označuje

Využíva

vzniká

EX:čerstvý betón je v nezatvrdnutej forme dopravovaný na miesto spotreby - stavenisko, kde je pripravený pre uloženie do debnenia a po zatvrdnutí je spravidla hlavnou nosnou časťou stavebných konštrukcií.

SPATIAL, CONDITION/UTILITE, PROPR_PHYSIQUE???

EX: samozhutniteľný betón možno charakterizovať ako extrémne tekutý betón, ktorý dokáže úplne vyplniť priestor debnenia alebo formy a zhutniť sa bez použitia vibrácie alebo iného spôsobu zhutňovania.

PROPR_PHYSIQUE???, CONDITION, UTILITE

EX: Hlavnou charakteristickou vlastnosťou SCC je schopnosť tečenia čerstvého betónu bez pôsobenia vonkajších dynamických síl, odolnosť proti rozmiešaniu a segregácii hrubých zŕn kameniva a schopnosť zhutnenia vlastnou hmotnosťou.

PROPR_PHYSIQUE???, CONDITION,

EX: Asfaltový betón je určený na stavbu krytov cestných a diaľničných vozoviek, letiskových a iných spevnených plôch. Je to zmes hutného kameniva s uzavretou zrnitosťou zahorúca obalená asfaltom.

FONCTION, CONTENU, CONDITION/PROPR_PHYSIQUE???,

EX: Predpätý betón vzniká kombináciou betónu apredpätej výstuže.

CONTENU,

EX: Vodotesný betón je betón, ktorý odoláva tlakovej vode tak, že na jeho vzdušnej strane

nevzniknú viditeľné priesaky, prípadne vlhké škvrny.http: fzki.uniag.sk/

PROPR_PHYSIQUE???, UTILITE

EX: Trvanlivý betón je betón odolný proti pôsobeniu mechanických, fyzikálnych, chemických vplyvov s ohľadom na ich trvanie a súčasné pôsobenie. http: fzki.uniag.sk/

PROPR_PHYSIQUE???, UTILITE

The second-stage revision will be realised in the third project year by two domain experts in each of the subject fields. If the term record happens not to be validated by field experts, it will be stored in the database archive and ready for future update and validation.

-user-oriented terminology compilation

-raw data found in the corpus

-Project is based on applied linguistic disciplines – terminology and corpus linguistics.

Proposed project will also involve the Slovak Economic Library in Bratislava which has been cooperating with SNC since beginning 2006 and this cooperation enabled the SNC to start a specialised subcorpora of economic texts. Discussions of possible use of the electronic Dictionary of Economic Terms, created by the Library, have not been concluded before the deadline of the proposed project.

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