Terminology in multilingual multinationals A matter of metadata

Terminology in multilingual multinationals A matter of metadata management Prof. Dr. Frieda Steurs Dr. Hendrik J. Kockaert

Language use in multinationals Need of global coordination as a source of competitiveness Language = ultimate barrier to aspirations of cross-national harmonisation

Do multinationals need multilingualism? Priority in this study to multinationals’ Internet sites n n Internet sites highlight language use in world wide business The language choices multinationals make depend on their needs to communicate with consumers stakeholders in the international business traffic

Lingua franca & multilingualism Economics of language: n n n Lingua franca facilitates trade and reduces costs ROI accrues with increasing number of trading partners using the same language Costs linked to multilingualism Translation Learning foreign languages

Standardization versus Localization Standardization approach n Multinationals reduce costs Homogenise promotion across all their markets Distribute similar produce across all their markets n Globalisation leads to homogenisation of cultures and business practices (Levitt, 1983)

Standardization versus Localization approach n n Multinationals adapt their produce and services Multilingualism to be practiced: Markets remain culturally differentiated Consumers are to be satisfied (Mc. Carthy & Sharpiro 1983)

Standardization + Localization Standardization approach: n Corporate visual identities in source language (Melawar & Saunder 1999) Localization approach: n 68% of internationally advertised brand names use standardized strategy n 11% use standardized lingua franca (Duncan & Ramaprasad 1995)

Standardization + Localization (Cavusgil & Zou 1993) Industrial produce n n More B 2 B traffic Long-range & technical Consumer produce n Emotional consumers’ appeal (Brugaletta 1985)

Standardization + Localization Globalised market n n advertisement produce Market locales n Melted cultures n cross-border homogeneity n Linguistic & cultural identities/ sensitivities Geostylistic translation

Dualism: multilingualism & lingua franca This dualism seems to be generally practiced in multinationals n Lingua franca use in B 2 B spheres production stages in-house and external terminologies n Foreign language use adapted to consumers’ locale

Interaction How do multilingualism and lingua franca interact? n n Multinationals’ terminologies Internet promotion campaigns (A. Pym 2003)

Hypothesis Multilingualism disappears in favour of planetary use of one lingua franca Culturally and linguistic divergent markets melt into one planetary market English = means of communication Translation and terminologies = redundant

Hypothesis English Multilingualism

Reality Parallel rise of both lingua franca and multilingualism: n n International, standardized, ISO English Translation needs Globalisation seems to advantage this rise

Reality English Multilingualism

Diversity Paradox Globalisation n Efficient lingua franca in cross-cultural communication Technologies Software development Standardization n Efficient multilingualism: local terminologies World-wide access to regional specialties Need of even further specialization of regional produce International trade of locales has become easy

Diversity Paradox

Translation & Terminology Needs to adapt to this reality: n Cross-border produce and services in English Translate into customers’ locale:

Translation & Terminology Customers’ locales: n Geostylistic differences Climate, accessibility n n Culturally divergent Market type Developing countries versus high-tech markets n n Financial and economic status Confucianism, Christianity, Islam, . . .

Translation & Terminology Translation = conditio sine qua non for successful anchorage of all the products n Planetary level Global lingua franca practiced by multinationals n Locale level Effective local language use practiced by customers

New developments Products’ diversity

Cross-national products Produced separately from world’s locales n Lingua franca independent from local languages ISO, Technical English n n Technologies Software development Language technologies Industries

Locale products Produced locally n Local language Dutch (BE), French (FR), . . .

Trends in Language needs Lingua franca n n Language technology ICT Translation & Terminology n n Marketplaces Consumers (actual language users)

Trends in Translation Technological discourse in world English n n Accessible in home markets via translation Translation takes over in the consumers’ markets Where the access to multinationals’ products is a must n Localization = translation + adapting to locale

Trends in Terminology Standardized lingua franca terminology n n n In-house terminology of multinationals Technical discourse Standards Converted into local market languages n Divergences need fully localized terminology

Trends in Terminology Local terminologies n Specialties Converted into virtual English n not necessarily seeking to introduce localities

Trends in Terminology Rise of local terminologies n Catalonia TERMCAT n Québec Office de la langue française du Québec n Taalunie Need of standardization n Planetary interoperability beyond customers

Multinationals in vivo In-house terminology management not always consistent n n Divergences between successive versions of one product No terminology management concept-term relationship not analysed consistency not checked Inconsistencies in translated documents

Multinationals in vivo Hypothesis: consistent source-language terminology Inconsistencies in translated texts n No terminology management

Examples In-house inconsistent terminology n Ford air bag airbag n Jaguar seat belt pre-tensioner seat-belt pre-tensioner seatbelt pretensioner Dimitri Van Gaever. 1999. A Comparative Study of British and American Car Terminology in Owner Manuals

Examples Cross-industry inconsistency n MG/Rover direction indicator light n Jaguar indicator n Chevrolet turn signal and lane change indicator turn signal light Dimitri Van Gaever. 1999. A Comparative Study of British and American Car Terminology in Owner Manuals

Examples Cross-industry inconsistency n Chevrolet theft-deterrent alarm system n Jaguar, Ford anti-theft alarm system n Ford theft alarm Dimitri Van Gaever. 1999. A Comparative Study of British and American Car Terminology in Owner Manuals

Alfa Romeo 147 1. 9 JTD België toerental voeding draaicirkel tussen stoepen ophanging vooraan Nederland tpm brandstoftoevoer draaicirkel tussen trottoirs wielophanging vóór

Challenges Efficient terminology policy n n In-house consistency Version management Translation consistency Localization consistency

Challenges Metadata management taking account of the diversity paradox? n Globally interoperable terminology Cross-industry terminology Controlled English (source language) n Locally accessible terminologies Translation + localization

Challenges Terminology management n One efficient cross-industry terminology efficiently translatable and localizable n Accessible locale terminologies

Metadata management Existence of TMS able to n n Reposit dual terminology use Insert necessary complement of terminology localization

New developments Necessary automatic terminology processing Complemented by n Post-editing in each locale Using corpus in locale’s language Using knowledge patterns (Le An Ha, University of Wolverhampton)

Adapt

Mutscheller

Mutscheller "When I use a word", Humpty Dumpty said, "it means just what I choose it to mean neither more nor less. " (From: Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) Did you know that well-defined terminology can be one of your most valuable assets? It helps to reduce misplaced orders by up to 30%, facilitates the task of translating your documentation or marketing material and sets you aside from your competitors. Using consistent product terminology and corporate wording helps to strengthen your organisation’s corporate identity. Our cure to inconsistencies in corporate communication is called DICTAP, our proprietary DIssociative Context-driven Terminology Acquisition Process. Using DICTAP, we quickly extract lexical content from previously translated texts, such as manuals, business reports or press releases and enter this terminology into a single, well-structured and easily maintainable multilingual database.

DICTAP

Isolingua What happens if I don't manage my terminology? Although not using terminology management will result in modest short-term savings, the long-term costs of not using it are potentially far larger. As noted above, quality can not be inspected into a product, and without robust terminology management processes, strong consistency is more difficult to achieve. Do not underestimate the importance of consistency in your localized products: post-translation changes can be very costly, especially if they entail production costs for layout, desktop publishing or printing, or engineering time to rebuild compiled components.