People in the content production and translation industry typically talk about “terminology databases”. Increasingly, however, terminology databases include more than just “terminology”. To serve certain needs, they may include general language words, product names, search keywords, marketing expressions, and even full phrases.
At Termologic, we do, of course, develop terminology databases. But our philosophy is to tailor the database to the business requirements… whatever that entails. We make sure that your investment will deliver results in as many business applications as possible. Termologic is the only consulting company that specializes in developing terminology databases that are fully “repurposable” for a wide range of business-saving applications, NOT just translation.
The information your company produces contains words specifically chosen to promote your company, sell your products and communicate effectively with employees, suppliers, and customers. Certain words carry special weight and meaning, such as the names of products, services, and other offerings, and words specific to your field of commercial activity. Marketing materials are written with a unique style and selection of words. Effective search keywords can be embedded in your content to raise search results of your Web pages. We call all these “special” words terms because they can have a significant impact on your company’s image.
If you don’t take measures to manage the language used in your company, then you are allowing many problems to occur. These problems include the use of terms which are inappropriate, and alarming inconsistencies in the ways terms are used across your information set. The consequences can be serious, from legal liabilities to out-of-control development costs and lost revenue.
Terminology management has existed as a sub-field of information technology for quite a few years. But the focus has always been on how to fix problems that arise during the translation of information from one language to another. We take a different approach; we’ve been advocating for years that terminology needs to be managed when information is first being written. Many terminology problems start long before the text is translated. They can even be present in texts that are never translated. More and more global companies are realizing that proactively managing terminology during the entire content creation and maintenance workflow — before, during, and after translation — is critical to communicating effectively.
Industry analysts report that managing terminology is becoming an integral part of content management (see, for example, reports by TAUS and the Common Sense Advisory). Indeed, many Fortune 500 companies have implemented terminology management programs in order to better compete in global markets: IBM, Microsoft, Sony Ericsson, Medtronic, Xerox, The World Bank Group, SAS, SAP, Agilent Technologies, Hewlett Packard, and Oracle, to name just a few.