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In:Terminology throughout History: A discipline in the making
Edited by Kara Warburton and John Humbley
[Terminology and Lexicography Research and Practice 24] 2025
► pp. 233–251

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Chapter 11
Socioterminology and Textual terminology

From texts to uses of terms

 | University of Toulouse Jean-Jaurès
 | Sorbonne Nouvelle University
 | University of Rouen
 | University of Geneva
Published online: 23 May 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/tlrp.24.11con
Abstract
This chapter describes a part of the history of terminology, through the narrative of the emergence of two schools of thought in France: Socioterminology and Textual terminology. The authors of this chapter make no claim to represent French terminology per se. They seek to reflect on how terminology as a discipline has evolved in France. After contextualising the birth of these two theoretical approaches, the authors discuss their similarities and differences. This “comparative profile” highlights the proximity of the theoretical and methodological positions of Socioterminology and Textual terminology. The last section summarises these positions and offers reflections on the future of these two approaches, as well as on the future of terminology itself as a discipline.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Historical background
    • 2.1Socioterminology
    • 2.2Textual terminology
  • 3.Theoretical foundations
    • 3.1A reaction to classical theoretical proposals
    • 3.2A common objective: To describe actual use
    • 3.3A contribution to methodological responses
    • 3.4An intrinsic need to describe variation
    • 3.5Towards a reappraisal of domain and expert
  • 4.Synthesising insights: Paving the way to new dialogues
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (88)
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