The dynamics of terms and meaning in the domain of machining terminology

Abstract

This paper addresses the dynamics of terms and meaning in specialised communication by means of a semantic investigation into the domain of machining terminology in French. Studying meaning in specialised language raises two main research questions: how to identify terms or specialised entities in a technical corpus and how to study their meaning. In order to answer these questions, a double quantitative analysis is conducted, consisting of the identification and quantification of specialised vocabulary as well as the quantification of the semantic analysis by means of a monosemy measure. This approach requires the use of computer tools and scripting language and involves a statistical analysis in order to come to linguistic conclusions. Accordingly, this study aims to question the univocity ideal in a quantitative way. It focuses on the methodology and shows that an interdisciplinary approach can yield valuable results