María Fernández-Parra (2026). Translation Terminology Management for Translators. London & New York: Routledge, pp. 316, € 38.39, ISBN 9781032299099 (paperback).

The Journal of Specialised Translation 46 (2026), 237-240

https://doi.org/10.26034/cm.jostrans.2026.11461

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

As underlined by Bassey Antia et al. (2005, p.1), “[o]f all the professional groups interested in specialist communication, technical translators were perhaps the earliest to recognise the need for knowing and managing terminologies as an essential part of their task.” Terminology research and documentation remain the cornerstone of translation practice today, requiring a substantial investment of time and effort, as confirmed by recent surveys (ELIS 2024; ELIS 2025). In fact, time estimates “vary from 20-25 % to 40-60 % according to the degree of experience of the translator” (Chiocchetti et al. 2017, p.165).

Coined in the mid-1990s by IT scholars, the notion of terminology management was introduced into terminology studies by Sue Ellen Wright and Gerhard Budin in their two-volume Handbook of Terminology Management (1997). The editors justified their choice by noting that this new term could encompass a wide range of activities previously considered from different scientific and methodological angles. It is worth noting that, in their explanation of the activities covered by this concept, they include “the ad hoc retrieval of such information [i.e. terminological information] for the purposes of translation and interpreting…” (1997, p. 2).

Although, as already stated, terminology management is central to translation as a profession, very few books address this topic from the translator’s perspective. María Fernández‑Parra’s Translation Terminology Management for Translators is one of these rare works that recognises translators’ needs and speaks directly to them. The translator is present throughout the book — in every sentence, every example drawn from authentic professional settings, and every tool analysed. Equally noteworthy is the author’s approach to theory: she does not introduce theoretical material for its own sake but consistently selects the most relevant theoretical insights in relation to translation practice and everyday professional demands.

The book is structured in two parts. Part I presents the foundational theoretical framework alongside practical applications, offering a consolidated account of the main academic insights required for translators engaged in terminology management, complemented by practical guidance on the most relevant tasks. Chapter 1, entitled “Translators and Terminology Management,” introduces the notions of ‘terminology’ and ‘terminology management,’ discusses the polysemy of the first term, and provides informative facts and figures regarding the role of terminology management in translation practice. The chapter concludes with an outline of the main terminology management tasks. Chapter 2, entitled “Terms, Concepts, Domains,” examines the notions of ‘terms’ and ‘concepts,’ the distinction between specialised and general language, and the significance of domain knowledge for research and documentation in translation. Chapter 3, entitled “Key Terminological Theories and Approaches,” offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of theoretical trends, presented in chronological order and classified according to their scientific approach. In addition to covering virtually all major terminological theories of the 20th and 21st centuries, the chapter also highlights less widely known terminological traditions, including those developed in Arabic, Chinese, and Nordic contexts.

The subsequent three chapters of the first part adopt a more applied orientation. Chapter 4, entitled “Designing Your Termbase: Principles and Considerations,” addresses the key issues translators should consider when creating a termbase or when using specific tools for this purpose. The chapter examines the principle of concept orientation, explains the three levels of a terminological entry, and analyses data categories with reference to fundamental rules of termbase design, such as term autonomy, data elementarity, and data granularity. It also provides an extensive discussion of definitions and of the relations between terms. Particularly valuable for translators are the sections on equivalence — understood as the varying degrees of correspondence between concepts across languages —, on term variation, a phenomenon frequently encountered in translation practice, and on term formation, given that translators are often required to coin new terms, even though this task is not formally part of their professional remit. Chapter 5, entitled “Populating and Using Your Termbase,” offers a clear and well‑structured account of the methodology translators should follow in terminology work. All stages — from corpus building, term extraction, and term validation to the storage of terms – are discussed in detail. Considerable emphasis is placed on text mining, that is, the search for relevant texts and resources, as well as on corpus linguistics methodology, with reference to theoretical considerations such as quantity versus quality, corpus size, and text authenticity. The chapter concludes with practical guidance on using a termbase in conjunction with CAT tools and on exchanging terminological data through various export options. Chapter 6, entitled “Tools for Terminology Management,” provides an overview of software tools used in terminological work. As the author notes, the aim is to help users understand the functionalities of each type of tool and to assess their respective advantages and limitations. The chapter therefore adopts a conceptual rather than a “user guide” approach. Particular emphasis is placed on search engines, whose use is essential for terminology research, as well as on text‑alignment tools, concordancers, and corpus analysis tools. In addition, the chapter discusses term extraction tools, visualization tools, and AI‑based solutions, which together complete this comprehensive survey of technological resources for terminology management.

In Part II, a series of case studies is presented, illustrating the actual work and operational structures of national and international terminology services, and commercial workplaces. The material discussed in Chapters 7, 8, and 9 is based on field research conducted by the author, including institutional visits and semi‑structured interviews. Chapter 7, entitled “Government Case Study: The Translation Bureau,” examines the Canadian Translation Bureau. Following a brief historical overview and relevant statistical information, the chapter focuses on the core activities of translators and terminologists within the Bureau, outlining the workflow and the principal terminology resources employed, such as the Grand Dictionnaire Terminologique (GDT) and the TERMIUM database. Chapter 8, entitled “Large International Organisation Case Study: The World Bank,” likewise begins with background information on the World Bank, its mission, and its main functions, before turning to the workflow of translators within the organisation. The chapter then discusses the terminology work carried out by translators at this institution, with particular attention to the tools used. Finally, Chapter 9, entitled “Case Studies on Commercial Organisations,” examines the language services company Kaleidoscope, with particular attention to the terminology management scheme developed for one of its clients, the Austrian furniture manufacturer Blum. After outlining the workflow of both Kaleidoscope and Blum, the chapter introduces the terminology management system Kalcium Quickterm, developed by Kaleidoscope. An important finding is that terminology is considered a shared responsibility across the company, not limited to linguistic staff. Consequently, significant effort is devoted to raising awareness of terminology‑related issues and to providing an accessible toolkit that supports ongoing terminology management. Another corporate environment for terminology management is explored through the case of Terra Translations, a fully online company. This example highlights the emergence of new skills required of translators, such as the ability to use RegEx (regular expressions) to perform terminological tasks. The book concludes with Chapter 10, entitled “Terminological Best Practices and Quality Management”, which offers a comparative overview of the three case studies analysed before and identifies the best practices observed in each organisational context.

Drawing on her longstanding experience in translator training and on prior publications on related topics (cf. Penet & Fernandez Parra 2023, Rothwell et al. 2023), the author places strong emphasis on the pedagogical orientation of the book. Each chapter adopts a consistent structure, opening with key questions and issues that frame the material to be examined. Moreover, the chapters incorporate numerous text boxes that clarify specific concepts, along with well-designed figures that illustrate theoretical points. A further pedagogical strategy is the systematic use of guiding questions throughout the sections. Each chapter concludes with follow‑up questions and activities aimed at supporting learners’ engagement with the content. Additional instructional resources are available through the publisher’s online portal, assisting instructors in organising their courses and assessing learners’ understanding of the material. Suggestions for further reading accompany the main theoretical themes discussed. Finally, the volume offers extensive bibliographical references, encompassing both recent contributions and foundational works in this field.

In sum, owing to the pedagogical features and methodological choices outlined above, the book constitutes a valuable resource for students, scholars, researchers, and other interested readers. Its clear structure, its sustained attention to translators’ needs, and its integration of practical activities position it as the ultimate introductory text and reference resource for both teaching and self‑study. Moreover, the breadth of theoretical perspectives and the inclusion of real‑world case studies enhance its relevance for academic research. The combination of conceptual clarity, methodological rigor, and applied insight renders the book a must-read for newcomers to terminology management, while also providing a comprehensive reference work for experienced professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of current practices and tools.

References

Elpida Loupaki

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4802-8809

Email: eloupaki@frl.auth.gr