ON ISSUES OF DISTINCTION BETWEEN TERMS “TERMINOLOGY” AND “TERMINOLOGY SYSTEM”

Abstract

The article presents the results of the theoretical study on defining of significant distinctive features in the linguistic terms “terminology” and “terminology system”. A special emphasis is put to the inadequacy of the use of these terms as contextual synonyms or as generally interchangeable terms. The text argues in favor of the statement that aforementioned terms cannot be interchangeable, basing on their nature. The author also stresses the lack of investigation of the term “terminology system”, namely, its structure, formation peculiarities and interaction of terminological groups of different order degrees and the terms themselves within the framework of terminology systems. The new information is the attempt to outline the conceptual nature of “terminology” and “terminology system” terms, namely to describe direct connection of such conceptual phenomena as the concept field and the frame and terms of the terminology apparatus. The author also underlines the fundamental difference between these terms in view of the nature of their formation and origin, since in one case the natural processes of narrowing/expanding and clarifying the contextual meaning of the linguistic units play a key role, while in the other there is a mechanical artificial selection initiated by one or more researchers for certain specific purposes. The article also emphasizes the structural and organizational difference between the two ofaforementioned terms. The key points of the study stated in this paper may be useful for scholars, dealing with the issues of corpus linguistics, and terminologists in the process of concluding or refinement of the terminological apparatus of their research, as well as in the process of choosing of possible methods, since the paper describes the difference in key aspects of “Terminology” and “Terminology system” thus stipulating different methodologies of research. Researchers will also be able to use the provisions outlined to study the interaction of various terminology systems within the same terminology, how the terms of one terminology system are compared with others within the same terminology, and how and under what conditions interdisciplinary transition of terms in different terminologies taking place.