Abstract
M.A. (Linguistics)
Unlike in the natural sciences, the study fields of the social sciences are closely related and large areas overlap - with regard to the use of terminology as well. However there are also differences, and in an institution such as the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) which comprises a heterogeneous community of subject specialists, not only the different subjects fields are represented, but also the different schools of thought (universities). In order to conduct human sciences research, the subject specialists should communicate with one another within these subject fields, but also across the borders of the different human sciences disciplines. The aim of this study was to standardize selected human sciences terminology used in the HSRC in order to provide a source of such terminology to be used mainly by HSRC personnel, and to enhance communication in this way. A theoretical review of the fields of standardization and sUbject lexicography was given. The former field was subdivided into linguistic
standardization, technical language standardization and organizational
standardization, and a clear organizational standardization process was
distinguished on the basis of the steps of collecting, submitting, processing
and distributing terminology. The field of subject lexicography concerned technical dictionaries and terminology lists, and the issue of computerizing terminology was also dealt with. The organizational standardization process with respect to HSRC terminology
was explained and problematic terms identified in the study were discussed. The terminology involved in the study had been collected over a number of years by the language practitioners at the Centre for Language Services eCLS) of the HSRC, recorded on cards and later entered into the computer. In the study the terminology was submitted to the various sUbject specialists in the HSRC for their comment and approval, and their comments were subsequently researched and discussed by the
CLS. The next step in the standardization process involves the processing of the comments so that the terminology can be distributed in the form of a publication or by means of a computerized database. The use of standardized terminology in the HSRC can contribute greatly towards improving communication between subject specialists and if the computerized information is transferred to the National Term Bank of the
National Terminology Services as planned, the standardized HSRC terminology can be of use outside the HSRC as well.