can afford to give
objects generic definitions,
and this only because
- whatever the definition -
it does not change a thing for them."
Théodore Levitt
The Marketing Mode
New York, 1969
At least 50 ways to say it
The true professional can be recognized by his/her tools and lexicon. Thus, word specialists, especially of the printed word, must at least express themselves with the precision of a mechanic who lovingly describes his tools or the parts of an engine that need to be replaced.
This is about the ability to speak pertinently about their own writing-translation and multilingual editing activities, without slipping into superficiality and insignificant details. It is also about the possibility of a precise, well-founded dialogue between the linguistic services supplier and client.
The EUROLOGOS Group has compiled a professional glossary of 309 words (complete list below) published in its book: "Translation, Adaptation and Multilingual Editing", T.C.G. Ed., Brussels, 1994.
Below is a mini-lexicon of 52 key words we have taken from this glossary and that make up the essential service metalanguage* needed to speak of linguistic services effectively.
){kind=link}