Terminology: 3M4Q – The EAFT Summit 2018

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What looks like a secret formula – 3M4Q, is in fact the motto of this year’s summit for the European Association for Terminology (EAFT) in San Sebastián (Spain), standing for: Making, Managing, Measuring Terminology. This is all with the aim of improving Quality (4Q).

Some of you may remember that the previous summit in 2016 was hosted by the European Parliament’s Directorate-General for Translation (DG TRAD), taking place in Luxembourg. That summit also marked the 20th anniversary of the EAFT and was dedicated to ‘Visions and Revisions’.

However, this time the 2018 gathering was organised by the Basque Centre for Terminology and Lexicography (UZEI). This brought together scientists and teachers of terminology, representatives of state organisations for language and terminology, as well as presidents/ representatives of terminology associations and organisations from across Europe. One part of the programme focused on topics such as planning, normalising as well as implementing terminology policies and strategies. Whilst another was dedicated to the different ways of promoting and disseminating terminology and related work, especially within smaller language communities. Some speeches discussed the new challenges for professions linked to terminology and the changes in job profiles related to it. One of the main conclusions mentioned on multiple occasions during the summit, was the necessity of collaboration that brings together different institutions, terminologists and experts. This is to not only help improve the overall standard of terminology, but also enhance the level of understanding of the important role it plays.

As a representative of both the European Parliament and the IATE Management Group, Violina Stamtcheva (terminologist at TermCoord) had the honour to present the new IATE (the public version) in operation since 12th November, as well experience first-hand at the summuit the appreciation for the EU’s database for terminology.

Coinciding with the Terminology Summit in San Sebastián, the 2018 International Terminology Awards also took place. The International Award for Outstanding Achievement in Terminology Research and Development (PhD level) went to Jessica Mariani (University of Verona), ‘Migration in translation: The role of terminology and trans-editing in shaping the crisis in EU institutions’ – a thesis that was completed partly during a study visit in DG TRAD’s TermCoord, and a traineeship in the Directorate-General for Communication of the European Parliament.

Check our presentation here.