What is the best way to create a technical terminology database for translation?

1 Identify your domain and scope

The first step to create a technical terminology database is to define your domain and scope. Your domain is the field or industry that you are translating for, such as automotive, finance, or education. Your scope is the level of detail and specificity that you want to cover in your termbase, such as general, specialized, or sub-specialized. For example, if you are translating for the automotive industry, you might want to have a general termbase that covers common terms like car, engine, or brake, as well as a specialized termbase that covers specific terms like hybrid, turbocharger, or ABS.

2 Collect and analyze your source terms

The next step is to collect and analyze your source terms. Source terms are the words and phrases that you need to translate from the source language into the target language. You can collect them from various sources, such as existing documents, websites, manuals, or dictionaries. You can also use tools like corpus analysis or terminology extraction to identify and extract relevant terms from large texts. Once you have collected your source terms, you need to analyze them for their meaning, context, usage, and variants. You can use tools like concordancers or collocation analysis to help you with this task.

3 Research and validate your target terms

The third step is to research and validate your target terms. Target terms are the words and phrases that you use to translate the source terms into the target language. You can research them from various sources, such as parallel texts, glossaries, databases, or experts. You can also use tools like translation memory or machine translation to suggest possible translations. Once you have researched your target terms, you need to validate them for their accuracy, consistency, appropriateness, and compliance. You can use tools like quality assurance or terminology verification to help you with this task.

4 Structure and format your termbase

The fourth step is to structure and format your termbase. A termbase is composed of entries and fields. An entry is a unit that contains information about a term in one or more languages. A field is a category that contains a specific type of information about a term, such as definition, part of speech, synonym, or example. You need to decide how to structure and format your termbase according to your needs and preferences. You can use tools like termbase editors or converters to help you with this task.

5 Maintain and update your termbase

The fifth step is to maintain and update your termbase. A termbase is not a static product, but a dynamic process. You need to keep your termbase up to date and relevant to your domain and scope. You need to add new terms, modify existing terms, delete obsolete terms, and resolve conflicts or inconsistencies. You also need to review and evaluate your termbase regularly for its quality, usability, and efficiency. You can use tools like termbase managers or reviewers to help you with this task.

6 Share and collaborate on your termbase

The sixth and final step is to share and collaborate on your termbase. A termbase is not a personal asset, but a collective resource. You need to share your termbase with your colleagues, clients, or partners who are involved in the translation or localization process. You also need to collaborate with them on the creation, validation, and maintenance of your termbase. You can use tools like termbase servers or platforms to help you with this task.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?