Determinologization And Transterminologization Processes In Modern Oil And Gas Discourse

Abstract

Lexical and semantic modification processes in specialized terminology are one of the main interests in modern linguistics. They play an essential role in many scientific contexts, for example, in power engineering, the production of fossil fuels, petroleum drilling. Identifying the semantic modifications of technical terms in oil and gas discourse has become the purpose of this study. The investigation of the lexical units in oil and gas discourse based on English and American periodicals made it possible to analyze the material and to establish that determinologization is an active process of terms transformation formed on the semantic conversion of the term into the status of a common word. Scientific and technological progress, computerization of production, the emergence of new technologies, as well as their popularization among the population, are the reasons for the appearance of new terminological units. The result of such terms spread has led to the process of terminologization or creating new meanings and new translations of existing terms. According to the study, transterminologization is a process in which a term belonging to one field of knowledge can be rethought and take place in another field of knowledge acquiring new definitions there and contributing to the formation of other new terminological units. The analysis shows that technical terms enter the everyday people life and acquire new properties; as a consequence, the oil and gas discourse becomes a flexible part of the language use and a subject to change.

Keywords: Determinologizationoil and gas discoursetermterminologyterminologizationtransterminologization

Introduction

The idea of semantic modifications is discussed in many Russian scientific papers (Gorokhova, 2014; Leichik, 2007; Sulejmanova, 2006; Tatarinov, 1988; Yunusova, 2010) and foreign ones (Kreidler, 1998; Sager, 1990). It is the well-known fact that any specialised terminology is one of the most flexible parts of the language use due to its instability compared to the terminological system (Gorokhova, 2019). Innovative technologies, informatisation of technical processes, modern production methods cause new terms to appear, which leads to modifications of existing terminological units and their meanings, and as a consequence, their new translations. An important factor in such semantic transformations is the interaction of special terms with common words (Grinev-Grinevich, 2008; Leichik, 2007; Litovchenko, 2006). The processes of semantic modifications occur in several ways, such as terminologization and determinologization of terminological vocabulary. Terminologization is a necessary process which is characterised by the conversion of a common word into the status of a term (Lavrova, 1996; Nikulina, 2013). This transformation becomes possible when a particular phenomenon is not designated, and a common word can better describe it (Sobyanina, 2003). In the process of determinologization, terms lose their properties acquiring the additional status of common words; however, they still possess their terminological functions (Superanskaya et al., 2012). In modern linguistics, in addition to determinologization and terminologization, there is such a concept as transterminologization, which is a process in which a term belonging to one field of knowledge can be rethought and take place in another special sphere (Zhelezovskaya, 2010). One of the most attractive sources of terms modifications in oil and gas discourse is rethinking the meaning of existing terms and the emergence of a new lexical unit (Gorokhova & Kubyshko, 2020).

Problem Statement

Research Questions

Decades of practical terminology work and the theoretical studies of English technical discourse, based on the premises of the General Theory of Terminology, have resulted in the appearance of criteria of terminological semantic modifications for many concepts in each specialised subject field. However, modern linguists, studying the lexical transformations in different spheres, note that an integrated model of learning terms conversions was not yet developed. This problem formed the basis of the analysis of semantic modifications of technical terms, which were extracted from oil and gas discourse to facilitate the process of their understanding and use. The issue of semantic modifications is one of the unsolved at the moment, insufficiently studied in modern linguistics. At the same time, the main task of researchers is not to understand the final model of terms transformations of English technical discourse, but to develop a complex system for analysing terms conversions, to classify them according to their features and to build potentially their typology. Another problem and the task of the modern society is sharing the experience of systematisation rules as fixed patterns to simplify and accelerate the process of communication.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this article is to identify the semantic modifications of technical terms in oil and gas discourse. In accordance with this goal, the following questions are answered:

determine the technical terminology containing semantic transformations

identify semantic terms conversions

analyze semantic terms changes.

Research Methods

The methods relevant for such an analysis are stipulated by the aim of identifying semantic modifications of technical terms in oil and gas discourse.  Special terms that are manifested in the considered discourse can be presented on the basis of the method of continuous sampling from modern dictionaries and research materials, the method of contextual analysis using authentic text materials. The method of comparative analysis using an online search service, as well as the descriptive method necessary for identifying the peculiarities of terminological transformations are used hereto. Such linguistic processes contribute to the development of the special language and its creative renewal. The process of semantic modifications that occur in the professional field is actively manifested in English scientific and technical discourse. The appropriate linguistic processes are frequent in the special language to a great extent accelerating the process of communication and contributing to the emergence of new terms.)

Findings

Conclusion

It is generally accepted that terminology, as a rule, is a certain established system that does not undergo any changes and is not too actively replenished. The analysis allows concluding that the processes of determinologization and transterminologization are evidence of the flexibility of terminological vocabulary of oil and gas discourse. Scientific and technological progress contributes to the fact that, on the one hand, terms enter people lives and acquire new properties, and, on the other hand, common words may acquire the status of terms. In some cases, terms move from one area of ​​knowledge to another, acquiring new definitions there and contributing to the formation of other new terminological units. Such conclusions revealed the need to study how the terms function, what changes they can undergo, and in which cases they can gain or lose their meanings.

References

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