What is Terminology and Why Does it Matter?
Terminology is the study of terms and their use. But what is “terminology” to a translation company? To a language service provider or translator, terminology refers to a specific group of descriptive words used by an organization to describe commonly used terms within their own business “language.”
Different organizations will use different terms to describe their products, services, concepts, and ways of doing things. These may include preferred acronyms, jargon, product names, tag lines, industry-specific terms, and more. These approved terms are often grouped into terminology glossaries so that users can use the same terms to describe the same entities consistently.
Having a standardized approach to terminology is critical in fields like healthcare, where clarity can mean the difference between life and death. In this article, we’ll explore the root meaning of terminology, look at real-world examples, highlight which organizations benefit from terminology glossaries, and offer guidance on how to create your own glossary for internal consistency.
What Is Terminology?
To understand the meaning of terminology, it helps to break down the word itself. The term comes from the Latin root “terminus,” meaning “end” or “boundary.” In ancient Rome, terminus referred to a boundary marker—something that defined the limits of a space. In much the same way, terminology defines the boundaries of meaning within a particular subject or field.
The suffix “-logy” comes from the Greek logia, meaning “study of.” So, when combined, terminology quite literally means “the study of terms.”
In modern use, terminology refers to a system of specialized words and expressions, often used within a particular field or subject, that helps professionals communicate with precision. Each field develops its own lexicon to convey complex ideas clearly and efficiently.
Understanding the roots of the word terminology reinforces why it’s so essential: it provides structure and clarity in communication using the same words for the same meanings, particularly in specialized or high-stakes environments.
Examples of Terminology
Terminology can vary widely based on the particular field or subject. Here are a few examples that illustrate how terminology and nomenclature play essential roles in different industries:
- Medical terminology: Terms like “myocardial infarction,” “hypertension,” and “laparoscopy” have specific meanings that must be used accurately to ensure patient safety.
- Government terminology: Terms like “appropriations,” “bipartisan,” and “regulation” are commonly used in government settings and require a clear understanding to ensure accurate communication and policy implementation.
- Election terminology: Words such as “ballot,” “incumbent,” and “voter turnout” are essential in the context of elections, where clarity is crucial to uphold transparency, fairness, and civic engagement.
- Legal terminology: Words such as “plaintiff,” “habeas corpus,” and “tort” form the lexicon of legal professionals and must be used with precision.
- Technical terminology: In IT, words such as “API,” “cloud computing,” and “firewall” represent technical concepts with no easy synonyms.
- Academic or field of study terms: Linguistics, an -ology (a study of something), contains specialized words like “morpheme,” “syntax,” and “collocations.”
These examples illustrate how terms are tightly bound to their fields and how misusing them can create confusion or errors. For a real-world example, learn how this statewide government agency built a stronger connection between its organization and the LEP community with a translation glossary.
Why Does Terminology Matter?
Imagine a healthcare provider using three different terms for the same medical procedure across various patient documents. Without a standardized glossary, a translator or even an internal staff member might think they’re referring to three different things. This could lead to patient confusion, administrative errors, or medical mistakes.
Terminology matters because it:
- Enhances clarity and comprehension: Standard terms reduce ambiguity in both internal and external communications.
- Reduces misunderstandings in multilingual environments: Consistent terminology supports accurate and reliable translations.
- Ensures brand and message consistency: When your terms are used consistently, your brand remains recognizable and professional.
- Improves accessibility for people with limited English proficiency: Plain, well-defined terms help make content more inclusive and easier to understand.
What Is a Terminology Glossary?
Terminology glossaries provide translation and style guidelines for a company’s terms, enabling translators to maintain consistency and accuracy across every project.
Glossaries generally provide the term, its translation (in different languages as needed), the term’s grammar (gender, noun, verb, etc.), its definition, and an example of its use in context. Glossaries also typically include a list of terms that are not to be translated into foreign languages. These are usually product names or acronyms.
Terminology glossaries save time, reduce inconsistencies within documents, and reduce costs associated with rework.
Why Should Organizations Use Terminology Glossaries?
Terminology glossaries are invaluable business tools for all organizations, whether they use translators or not. These glossaries help employees maintain consistency in every form of written communication by providing specific information regarding an organization’s personal preferences.
- Consistency: Glossaries help internal teams use the same terms for products, services, and concepts across marketing, customer support, and documentation.
- Efficiency: Employees and partners spend less time second-guessing or editing documents when everyone uses the same terms.
- Cost savings: By reducing the need for revisions and clarifications, terminology glossaries cut costs and accelerate workflows.
- Knowledge transfer: New employees can quickly learn company-specific language, terminus points (end definitions), or preferred acronyms.
Terminology glossaries are constantly evolving to reflect a company’s growth and expansion. Most companies prefer to review their glossaries every six to twelve months with their language services provider to ensure all updated material is included. Learn how healthcare agencies can develop multilingual CMS marketing content for LEP patients with terminology glossaries.
How Do Translators Benefit from Glossaries?
For translators, terminology glossaries are critical because they must translate terms across languages and ensure that they are using the same translated term in the same way every time the word or phrase is used. For this reason, many organizations have terminology glossaries prepared specifically for use by translators.
Translators use glossaries to:
- Translate critical documents consistently and accurately across languages
- Reference essential term details like part of speech, gender, or plural forms
- Understand how terms are used in context through real-world usage examples
- Identify terms that should remain untranslated, such as brand names, proprietary terminology, or technical acronyms
Without a glossary, each translator might make different decisions, which leads to inconsistent messaging and reduced translation quality.
Tips for Building Your Terminology Glossary
Setting up a terminology glossary from scratch takes coordination between an organization and its chosen language services provider or translator. Lists of terms are created, definitions finalized and translations defined for each target language. The glossary generally evolves over time, as new terms are added and older ones revised or deleted.
But creating a high-quality glossary for a particular subject doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are some key tips:
1. Start with a Core Word List
Begin with commonly used terms in your organization or industry. Pull them from websites, product documentation, FAQs, or internal communications. Use those terms in example sentences to provide additional context.
2. Include Context and Usage
For each term, define its meaning, note its part of speech, and add a sample sentence. Clarify any terms that should remain in the source language.
3. Keep It a Living Document
Language evolves—so should your glossary. Review it every 6–12 months with your translation or content team and update entries as needed.
Learn more about how to make your translation project easier with Avantpage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Terminology
What is the definition of terminology?
Terminology refers to the collection of terms used within a specific subject, field, or profession. These terms are often technical, specialized, or unique to that context.
What is a terminology glossary?
A terminology glossary is a structured list of approved terms and their definitions, translations, grammar info, and usage examples. It’s a reference tool used to ensure consistent language across documents and translations.
What’s the difference between terminology and nomenclature?
“Nomenclature” refers to the system or rules used to name things within a field (e.g., chemical elements or biological species). “Terminology” is broader and includes all relevant words or phrases used in a particular field.
Who uses terminology glossaries?
Organizations, translators, editors, technical writers, and subject matter experts across industries. Consistent translations are critical in healthcare, legal, electoral, educational, and government sectors.
What is a terminologist?
A terminologist is a language expert who researches, organizes, and manages specialized terms for consistent usage within a glossary or database.
Can terminology include new words?
Yes, terminology often includes new words and acronyms introduced through innovation or changing trends in a field. These terms are reviewed and added to glossaries as needed.
Build Your Terminology Glossary with Avantpage
Terminology glossaries are essential tools for organizations of all sizes, helping teams and translators stay aligned on language use. Whether you’re navigating medical, legal, or technical fields, investing in a robust terminology glossary can save time, reduce errors, and elevate the clarity of your messaging.
At Avantpage, we encourage our clients to maintain terminology glossaries that contain commonly used terms and their preferred translations into the target languages they use most. We help organizations set up and maintain these glossaries for use by translators through our Linguistic Asset Management services, which are designed to help create and maintain these valuable resources.
If your organization doesn’t have a terminology glossary, now’s the time to change that. Contact us to discover how we can help you build a powerful, customized glossary that ensures clarity, consistency, and impact across every language you use.
Whether you need document translation services for internal use, public-facing materials, or multilingual communication, we’ll help you build a clear, consistent, and effective language foundation.Get a free quote for translation and language access consulting services.
