The ATA Chronicle - September/October 2024 - 23

on the complexity of the
termbase and the number of
languages used. For a medical
termbase, specifying the
medical specialty and even the
subspecialty should always be
part of the entry level.
Index or Language Level:
The index or language level
displays the languages of
a termbase through the
language identifier. At this
level, context information,
such as a broad definition of
the concept at hand, images,
links, etc., highlighting
information relevant for all
languages can be included.
Sometimes, this level also
includes notes pertaining to
situations where more or less
distinctions between sets of
unique characteristics for
a concept need to be made
in a termbase, such as a
particular note about a local
health issue. Highlighting
differences at this level is also
useful for cultural concepts,
for example, although more
specific distinctions are
usually made at the term level.
Term Level: At the term
level, termbases include the
option to add the terms in
the languages specified at the
index or language level.
For medical purposes, the
entries at the term level can
include multiple terms that
apply to the same concept
(e.g., medical abbreviations or
expansions and even codes).
Now, there may be
instances where it makes
sense to add a source term
but not a translation. For
medical terminology,
this may include certain
general elements of medical
terminology, such as Latin
and Greek prefixes or suffixes
and their translations in a
www.ata-chronicle.online
Medical termbases (and really termbases for any
technical subject!) must provide options for the
terminologists to handle the semantic features of a vast
amount of challenging terms for optimal organization
and retrieval later on.
definition field rather than
in the target-language term
record. This means they can
be referenced through the
termbase's search field but
won't necessarily show up
in the term recognition or
during verification steps.
Adding terms without
translation can aid the
translator in getting a general
idea about what a term
could mean that consists of
a prefix, suffix, and their
combining term.
At the term level, we
usually find more definition
and context fields to assist
in describing semantic
features. These are of
particular importance with
concept characteristics
that apply only to one of
the languages used in the
termbase but not to others.
An example would be a term
that exists as a generic or
broad idea (hypernym) in
one language but requires
more distinctions in another
(hyponyms). Contextual
information can include a
noun's gender or notes on
usage, common collocations,
or even further definitions
if needed. Synonyms are
added as well, although in a
medical context, translators
tend to deal more with terms
of partial equivalence and
their correct usage (quasiand
pseudo-synonyms).
Other than that, the entries
can consist of simple terms,
complex terms, and even
entire phrases.
Effective Planning =
An Effective Outcome
My approaches on termbase
mapping and storage are just
suggestions based on my
experience in the language
service provider setting that
includes large volumes of
medical translations. Every
project is different, and the
beauty of a termbase with
this type of structure is that
it can be customized to get
the best results regardless
of the subject! As a final
thought, I want to highlight
that it's always advisable to
refer to existing standards
and publications that provide
a more systemic description
and best practices for
terminology research and
term storage solutions to
ensure translation quality,
consistency, and accuracy.
In summary, the effective
planning of termbase storage
and mapping can improve
translation outcomes and
ensure better patient care
or better communication
between healthcare
professionals while also
facilitating communication
and collaboration between
terminologists and the
termbase end users
(translators!).
Finally, reviewing all the
options available for
termbase mapping and
storage should include
considerations regarding the
integration of termbases into
existing systems, potential
future trends, such as
planned upgrades of systems,
the human factor, and
overall, how collaborators
work together. In addition, a
well-planned termbase may
allow for the optimization of
internal processes,
compliance, transparency,
and accountability.
Marion Lemari is a German-language quality
lead for The Language Doctors, a language service
provider specializing in medical translations
and patient records. In her role, she develops
quality plans according to client requirements
and implements improvement strategies for systems, processes,
and people. This includes conducting quality assessments,
creating training materials, and providing feedback to vendors.
She is also responsible for termbase and translation memory
management and adjusting processes throughout different
departments if needed. She has an MA in translation and
interpreting from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.
She previously served as the director of communications for the
Austin Area Translators and Interpreters Association (AATIA),
an ATA affiliate. marion.lemari@gmail.com
American Translators Association 23
http://www.ata-chronicle.online
The ATA Chronicle - September/October 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The ATA Chronicle - September/October 2024
