The Dynamics of Terminology

Book excerpt: The discovery of rules for the systematicity and dynamics of terminology creations is essential for a sound basis of a theory of terminology. This quest provides the driving force for The Dynamics of Terminology in which Dr. Kageura demonstrates the interaction of these two factors on a specific corpus of Japanese terminology which, beyond the necessary linguistic circumstances, also has a model character for similar studies. His detailed examination of the relationships between terms and their constituent elements, the relationships among the constituent elements and the type of conceptual combinations used in the construction of the terminology permits deep insights into the systematic thought processes underlying term creation. To compensate for the inherent limitation of a purely descriptive analysis of conceptual patterns, Dr. Kageura offers a quantitative analysis of the patterns of the growth of terminology. His fascinating and unique contribution to our understanding of the terminological process reveals the powerful interaction of linguistic possibilities and the naming process of conceptual entities.