Towards New Ways of Terminology Description: The sociocognitive approach(3 Terminology and Lexicography Research and Practice)

Based on an empirical study of categorisation and lexicalisation processes in a corpus of scientific publications on the life sciences, Rita Temmerman questions the validity of traditional terminology theory. Her findings are that the traditional approach impedes a pragmatic and realistic description of a large number of categories and terms. Inspired by the cognitive sciences, she develops an alternative. The main principles of this new theory imply: a combined semasiological and onomasiological perspective; only few categories can be clearly delineated; form and content of definitions vary according to category types and user's requirements; synonymy and polysemy are functional in special language and a diachronic approach is unavoidable. This last principle implies the varying importance of historical information in definitions, the non-arbitrariness of lexicalisation and the importance of cognitive models. In a last chapter the author shows how the methods and principles of the alternative approach are applicable in terminography and how this is going to have an impact on software for terminological database construction. This book will be valuable for specialists in terminology theory, practising terminographers and for anybody interested in special language, cognitive models and prototype theory.

Table of Contents:
1. Acknowledgments; 2. Introduction; 3. 1. From principles of standardisation to a scientific study of terminology; 4. 2. New propositions for Terminology; 5. 3. From traditional definitions of concepts to templates of units of understanding; 6. 4. Univocity and polysemy; 7. 5. The impact of metaphorical models on categorisarion and naming; 8. 6. Towards new ways of terminology description; 9. Bibliography; 10. Index

Review :
[...] it is theoretically innovative, showing in a convincing way how the results of modern cognitive science can be integrated and applied in terminology. [...] a useful resource to all those involved in terminology development work, to language policy makers as well as to practicing terminographers. Towards New Ways of Terminology Description is a remarkable book and one that will be a source of inspiration and discussion for terminologists as indeed it has already been since its publication. There is no doubt that it is theoretically innovative and stimulating, especially as it applies the methods of cognitive sciences to terminology and it attempts to redress the balance between investigation and description of mononymy and synonymy on the one hand and synchrony and diachrony on the other hand by stressing the role of perspective, function and intention in terminologisation. Other strong points of the book are the constant reference to textual evidence, the extensive use of corpus-based scientific discourse for categorisation and naming. Moreover, from a didactic point of view, the many tables juxtaposing the different theories referred to or summarising the main points under discussion will prove very useful. [...] In short, Towards New Ways of Terminology Description is a major new contribution to the debate on and assessment of the theory and practice of terminology towards a more profound knowledge of terms and their underlying concept/categories. C'est un ouvrage convaincant et bien documenté avec une importante bibliographie des plus utiles. Nous aimerions en recommander la lecture parce qu'il ouvre d'intéressantes perspectives à tous les traducteurs, terminologues et linguistes, ainsi qu'aux étudiants [...] [...] this new approach to terminology description offered by the author breaks new ground and is a thought-provoking alternative in domains of the social and human sciences.