0 Introduction

0.1 Overview

The terminological principles and methods provided in this International Standard are based on current thinking and practices in terminology work.

Terminology work is multidisciplinary and draws support from a number of disciplines (e.g. logic, epistemology, philosophy of science, linguistics, translation studies, information science and cognitive sciences) in its study of concepts and their representations in special language and general language. It combines elements from many theoretical approaches that deal with the description, ordering and transfer of knowledge.

The terminology work dealt with in this International Standard is concerned with terminology used for unambiguous communication in natural, human language. The goal of terminology work as described in this International Standard is, thus, a clarification and standardization of concepts and terminology for communication between humans. Terminology work may be used as input for information modelling and data modelling, but this International Standard does not cover the relation with these fields.

In line with the current trend in standardization towards providing guiding principles, this International Standard is intended to standardize the essential elements for terminology work. The general purposes of this International Standard are to provide a common framework of thinking and to explain how this thinking should be implemented by an organization or group.

It is further intended to provide assistance to those involved in terminology management. The principles and methods should be observed not only for the manipulation of terminological information but also in the planning and decision-making involved in managing a stock of terminology. The main activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

- identifying concepts and concept relations;
- analysing and modelling concept systems on the basis of identified concepts and concept relations;
- establishing representations of concept systems through concept diagrams;
- defining concepts;
- attributing designations (predominantly terms) to each concept in one or more languages;
- recording and presenting terminological data, principally in print and electronic media (terminography).

Objects, concepts, designations and definitions are fundamental to terminology work and therefore form the basis of this International Standard. Objects are perceived or conceived and abstracted into concepts which, in special languages, are represented by designations and/or definitions. The set of designations belonging to one special language constitutes the terminology of a specific subject field.

0.2 Conventions and notation

In this International Standard and for the English language, ‘terminology work’ designates the discipline; ‘terminology’ used in the plural or preceded by an article refers to the set of designations of a particular subject field, such as legal terminology.

For the sake of consistency in reference to objects, concepts, definitions, and designations, the following wording conventions are used in this International Standard:

- objects

are perceived or conceived;

are abstracted or conceptualized into concepts;
- concepts

depict or correspond to objects or sets of objects;

are represented or expressed in language by designations or by definitions;

are organized into concept systems;
- designations (terms, appellations or symbols)

designate or represent a concept;

are attributed to a concept;
- definitions

define, represent or describe the concept.

The more complex a concept system is, the more useful it is to clarify relations among concepts by representing them formally or graphically. Concept relations can be represented formally in a list. The formal representations used in this International Standard are indented and numbered with a full stop (period) (.) for generic relations and numbered with a dash (-) for partitive relations, as in the following models:

For generic relations:	For partitive relations:

The graphic representations used in this International Standard are the most typical ones. The use of UML (Unified Modeling Language) notation for terminology work is described in ISO/TR 24156.

	tree diagram to represent generic concept relations
	rake diagram to represent partitive concept relations
	line with arrowheads at each end to represent associative concept relations

The notation used throughout this International Standard is as follows:

- terms designating concepts defined in ISO 1087‑1:2000 are in italics;
- concepts are indicated by single quotes;
- designations (terms, appellations or symbols) are in boldface;
- characteristics are underlined;
- examples are boxed.

This International Standard follows the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, 2004 with regard to the use of “shall”, which indicates a requirement and the use of “should”, which indicates a recommendation.

It should be noted that the examples in this International Standard have been chosen and simplified for illustrative purposes. Translation into other languages may necessitate the selection of other examples to illustrate the points.

It should also be noted that the examples of term-formation methods, in Annex B, are specific to the English language in the English version and to the French language in the French version. Annex B should not be translated, but should be adapted to the needs of each language.

BS ISO 704:2009

Terminology work. Principles and methods

Published:

31 Jan 2010

Withdrawn:

31 Aug 2022