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Multidimensional analysis of H&SS terminology translation

A case study

ORCiD logo with link | Zhejiang Sci-Tech University
Published online: 26 February 2026
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https://doi.org/10.1075/term.25066.xu
Abstract
The complexity of terms in the humanities and social sciences (H&SS) poses significant challenges to translation. Drawing on the translation practice of The History of Chinese Printing, this paper first identifies four key stages in terminology translation where such difficulties predominantly arise, namely term identification, meaning determination, target-text representation, and consistency maintenance. Subsequently, the paper takes the Chinese-to-English (C-E) terminology in The History of Chinese Printing as a case study to compare the human-translated version with AI-generated translations. Guided by the Communicative Theory of Terminology, it then explores the multidimensionality of terminology translation from cognitive, linguistic, and communicative perspectives. The study reveals the multidimensional nature of H&SS terminology translation and highlights the translator’s irreplaceable role, providing valuable implications for translation practice and translation teaching.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Studies in H&SS terminology translation
  • 3.The Communicative theory of terminology
  • 4.Terminology translation challenges based on practice
  • 5.Multidimensional analysis of terminology translation challenges
    • 5.1Term identification
    • 5.2Meaning determination
      • 5.2.1Recognizing historical semantic shift
      • 5.2.2Discerning different term usages
      • 5.2.3Distinguishing similar linguistic forms
    • 5.3Target-text representation
      • 5.3.1Making full use of terminological resources
      • 5.3.2Choosing appropriate translation strategies
    • 5.4Consistency maintenance
  • 6.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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