Structural and Semantic Analysis of Economic Terminology in Computer Forums on Economics

2 1Terminologija | 2016 | 23 Structural and Semantic Analysis of Economic Terminology in Computer Forums on Economics ElEna logunova Kaliningrad State Technical University KEYWORDS: economic computer discourse, structural and semantic analysis, binary terminological models, one word terms, semantic derivation, composition models, multicomponent terms The article is devoted to structural and semantic analysis of economic terminology in computer forums on economy. It reflects the types of terms of economic forums and the main structural ways of their nomination. The author also analyses the structure of forums and the main lexical units and computer signs of economic discourse. The computer discourse represents the communication which is understood as interaction of participants of communication who exchange their opinions, different information and emotions by means of computer technologies and the Internet. In our research we consider an economic forum (electronic conference) as a macro-unit. The forum as a macro-unit consists of sub-forums which reflect the most actual components of a concrete macro-unit. Sub-forums are represented by discussion of subjects. The subject, as a rule, is a conceptual core of discussion and is realized in statements/messages. Lexical units of a computer discourse and specific computer signs (graphic and icon signs) belong to the main units of the statement (message). Lexical units are represented by terms, professionalisms, eponyms, jargon (“lexicon of the reduced style”), abbreviations and the non-terminological lexicon consisting of general scientific words and common lexicon. In the process of the analysis of computer forums on economics the following types of terms were revealed: – Economic terms: assets, liabilities, investor capital, accountability, target market, growth cycle, expense, liquidity, financial management, target 2 2 Elena Logunova | Structural and Semantic Analysis of Economic Terminology | in Computer Forums on Economics market, balance sheet, income, treasury securities, credit, stock market, share, trade deficit, corporate management, fund, investment policy, economy system, dividend, clearing bank, tax, gross profit, joint venture, cash flow, stakeholder, value added tax, etc. – Terms of legal sphere: plaintiff, lawsuit, litigation matter, sanction, imprisonment, judgment, crime, legislation, pending litigation, fiduciary duty, regulation, pact, copyrights, piracy, intellectual property, etc. – Terms of social sphere: interpersonal communication, population, culture, public, social system, demography, birthrate, labor units, strike, behavior, survival rate, gender gap, etc. – Terms of technical sphere: machine, tool, engine, equipment, semiconductor, trailer-mounted system, etc. – Terms of political science: democracy, socialism, communism, 21st century capitalism, political contest, democracy, seismic political change, etc. – Terms of educational sphere: graduate, student, profession, education, preparatory school, mid-level institution, faculty, nurse-educator, tuition, mathematics, diploma, school, faculty, etc. As a result of the selection which has been carried out on four sites and 104 subforums presented there, we discovered the following percentage of terms in comparison with non-terminological vocabularies in different forums: – 65% of terms in “The Business Forum Online”, – 46% of terms in “Global Business Network”, – 45% of terms in “Aardvark Business Forum”, – 40% of terms in “Know-How Business Forum”. As texts of forums represent oral language, a discourse of the forums which are realized in the dialogue mode (“Aardvark Business Forum”, “Know-How Business Forum”, “Global Business Network”) is represented in question-answer form and has a higher proportion of is more saturated with non-terminological vocabularies which is also caused by participation in such forums a large number of users with different levels of knowledge in economics. In turn, “The Business Forum Online” represented by monological speech, for more than 60% consists of terms. The majority of terms of the “Business Forum Online” are terms of economics and this narrows the number of users of this site to a circle of professionals with a good knowledge of economic science. 2 3Terminologija | 2016 | 23 The material of 1800 lexical units which was previously selected using method of continuous selection was subjected by us to the structural and semantic analysis, as a result of which typical structural ways of the nomination were allocated: Affixal word-formation models: – the prefixation models: reconciliation, reassignment, reimbursement, restatement, unavailability, unfunded, unbalance, undiscounted, underpayment, multibuyer, multicurrency, inpayment, inconvertibility, co-creditor, co-debtor, cooperation, ex-dividend, exchange, hypermarket, hyperinflation etc. Prefixes play an important role in derivation of the studied terminology, they are used for specifying the initial structure, for example, to a negative category “the phenomena and concepts”: unemployment (the model bears value of “lack of work”), nonpayment (the model bears value of “lack of payment”). Application of the prefix cois found in word-formation models of derivative words, for example, in the area of management: cooperation, coordination, co-management; it has a meaning of joint implementation of action. The prefix reis rather often used and expresses repeated action (restatement – repeated submission of financial statements, reconciliation – coordination, verification of accounts; reimbursement – compensation). Multimeans “volume, plurality” (multinational – multinational company). Unexpresses negative value “a shortcoming, or absence of something”: unavailability –absence of availability; unbalance – discrepancy. – The models formed by means of suffixes: settlement, investor, accounting, accountability, marketing, management, financial, planner, discounter, competitiveness, recruiting, corporation, reporting, economist, managerial, economic, entrepreneurial, organizational, monopolistic, compensation, negotiation, etc. The most common suffixes used in forming the studied terminology are the following: -er/or (discounter, distributor), -ion (commodization, corporation), -ing (accounting), -ic (economic), -ant (accountant), -ment (management), -able (marketable), -ive (competitive), -al (entrepreneurial, beneficial), -ship (partnership). The analysis has also shown the existence of the whole derivational families of words: manage, manager, management, managerial; invest, inves- 2 4 Elena Logunova | Structural and Semantic Analysis of Economic Terminology | in Computer Forums on Economics tor, investment; account, accountant, accountability, accounting, etc. Semantics of such derivatives and compound terms is composite, and reflects various professional categories, for example: manage – category of management process, manager – category of the subject, management – category of economic area. Composition models: cross-marketing, marketplace, world-changing, stakeholder, risk-management, salespeople, headquarter, trademark, businessman, union-management, community-based organization, home-based business, etc. Composition models where the basic component is equal to an independent word, is a productive way of term formation and it allows concepts of different spheres of knowledge to be combined in one term. The phrases in economic terminology are formed on the following models: N+N; Adj+N; Ving +N; (Adj, V-ing)+N. The greatest number of terms in economic discourse is constituted by binary term phrases (1126 units): institutional investor, financial management, financial state, consumer loyalty, consumer acquisition, consumer detention, selling innovations, practice of business relations, selling skills, the target market, the control tool, management institution, market statistic, junk bond, multinational corporation, economic forces, entrepreneurial leader, economic world, national economy, economic power, economic game, service sales, commercial risk, letter of credit, transparent export, international trade, corporate entity, balance of payment, annual growth, market research, primary business, specific market, manufacturing transfer, joint venture, offshore partner, labor shortage, independent business, leading firm, trading firm, economic development, business community, economic motivation, entrepreneurial institution, export strategy, treatment management, organizational management, export opportunity, consume resources, benefit package, deal breaker, supplier partnership, contract fulfillment, purchasing departments, manufacturing/delivery process, marketing opportunity, development costs, non-competitive plant, product line, financial image, brokerage house, financial foundation, fiscal year, cash leaks, business formation, etc. Such terminological phrases have more opportunities for expression of the conceptual contents than one word terms. The following portion – 173 terminological units – consists of multicomponent terms (three word terms and terms consisting of four words and more). 2 5Terminologija | 2016 | 23 Multicomponent terms are distributed according to the following structural models: 1) Adj +N + N (recruiting boom cycle, financial service firm, mutual fund owner, absolute cost advantage, overall market strategy, actual product performance, current business crunch); 2) Adj + Adj +N (unipolar economic world, substantial secondary market, low direct expenses, severe economic pressure); 3) N+N+N (exchange rate guarantees, vendor selection process, bed-andbreakfast venture, product development group, job share team, database management system, non-profit subsidiary corporation); 4) Adj + (Adj, V-ing) +N (financial reporting period, collaborative working partnership, ideal marketing strategy, daily trading limit); 5) Adj+ N +N+N (common market entry strategy, accrual basis income statement); 6) (V-ed, Adj)+(V-ing, Adj)+N (non-employed working style, self-employed working style); 7) (V-ed, Adj)+Adj+(V-ing, Adj)+N (detailed realistic marketing plan); 8) (V-ed, Adj) +N + Adj (accrued taxes payable); 9) Adj +N+ Adj + N +N (global network discriminatory tax policy); 10) Adj + Adj + N +N (strategic financial management issues); 11) Adj + Adj + Adj +N (chief strategic financial planner); 12) N to N +(V-ing, Adj)+N (face-to-face working meeting). Value of two, three and more component terms reflects the value of each of the components making a nominative complex not simply the sum of values, but the result of integration of the cognitive processes happening while forming such composite meaning (Новодранова, Лейчик 2002: 59). It is necessary to add that abbreviations (95 units) play an important role in economic computer discourse, and they can be divided into 2 groups: 1. Terminological abbreviations. For example: GAAT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), WTO (the World Trade Organization), NASA (Newspaper Advertising Sales Association), UAW (United Auto Workers), GM (General Motors), SBA (Small Business Administration), OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), etc. 2. General abbreviations, such as ASAP (as soon as possible), IMHO (in my humble/honest opinion), etc. 2 6 Elena Logunova | Structural and Semantic Analysis of Economic Terminology | in Computer Forums on Economics The use of abbreviations in economic computer forums, besides the purpose of language economy, pursues the aim of economy of place and time of registration of a message and staying in network. Another specific characteristic of term formation in economic computer discourse is the semantic derivation. Semantic derivation can be treated as the process and result of secondary nomination covering the whole lexical system of language and reflecting the dynamics of its continuous development and change as reflection of difficult mental, associative, cognitive processes of people’s thinking. Semantic derivatives are formed as a result of using common words as terms by means of semantic transformation. It should be noted that the lexical meaning of a word can coincide with the terminological meaning, but can differ from it due to the discourse where it is used (Гусева 2004: 104). For example, a word “utility” in economic computer discourse means “bonds of the enterprises”; “feedback” in the field of marketing means “communication with consumers, information from consumers”, in the field of management “regular reports of performers on the current activity, information on results of certain actions for amending future decisions” etc. CONCLUSIONS The carried-out analysis of lexical components of an economic computer discourse showed that the most commonly used are the binary models – 62%. They are mostly formed using the following models: Adj. + N (financial management), N+N (stock market), V-ing + N (purchasing department). – One word terms take the second place – 23%. – Multicomponent terms – 9,6%. – Abbreviations – 5,3%. The analysis showed a number of lexical units which, depending on the communicative environment they are used in and the role they need to play there, may be terms or ordinary words. The analysis revealed that the biggest part of terms of economic discourse of forums belong to economic terms which reflect basic concepts and categories of economy (marketing, management, accounting, etc.). At the end it is necessary to add that non-terminological lexicon along with terms of various scientific areas also plays an important role in economic discourse. Non-terminological units help to create a discourse, func- 2 7Terminologija | 2016 | 23 tion as a form of address (as you have noticed, etc.), form the logical structure of a discourse (firstly, nevertheless etc.). Such units fulfill those functions which are inaccessible to terms but which are needed for forming and development of successful communicative act, verbalized in a discourse. SOURCES Aardvark Business Forum [Electronic resource]. – Mode of access: http://www.aardvarkbusiness.net. Global Business Network Online [Electronic resource]. – Mode of access: http://www.businessforum.net. Know-How Business Forum Online [Electronic resource]. – Mode of access: http://www.businessknowhow.com. The Business Forum Online [Electronic resource]. – Mode of access: http://www.businessforum.com. REFERENCES Gates B. 2000: Business @ the Speed of Thought, New York: Warner Books. 440 p. Jackendoff R. 1993: Semantics and Cognition, Cambridge, Mass, London: The MIT Press. 283 p. Jackendoff R. 1995: Languages of the mind. – Essays on Mental Representation, Cambridge, London: The MIT Press. 195 p. Langacker R. W. 1991: Concept, image and symbol: The Cognitive basis of grammar, N.Y.: Monton de Gruyter. 395 p. Markel M. 1998: Technical communication. Situation and Strategies, NY: St. Martin’s Press, Inc. 732 p. Picht H. 2002: The concept in terminology: a unit of thought, knowledge or cognition? – Научнотехническая терминология. Научно-реф. сб-к, вып. 2, Москва. 71 с. Гусева И. Г. 2004: Когнитивно-дискурсивный анализ межотраслевой экологической терминологии в области рыбного промысла (на материале английского языка). Дис. ... канд. филол. наук, Калининград. 291 c. Новодранова В. Ф., Лейчик В. М. 2002: Понятие и концепт. – Научно-техническая терминология. Науч.-реф. сб., вып. 2, Москва, 59–60. EKONOMIKOS FORUMUOSE VARTOJAMOS EKONOMIKOS TERMINIJOS STRUKTŪRINĖ IR SEMANTINĖ ANALIZĖ Straipsnis skirtas ekonomikos forumų leksikos struktūrinei ir semantinei analizei. Darbe nagrinėjama iš skyrių sudaryto forumo, kuriame yra teminių forumų, struktūra. Pažymima, kad teminius forumus reprezentuoja juose esančios temos (jose glūdi sąvokinis diskusijų branduolys), sudarytos iš pasisakymų. Pasisakymai apima leksinius kompiuterinio diskurso vienetus, kurie gali būti terminai, profesionalizmai, eponimai, santrumpos, „žemesnio stiliaus leksika“, netermininė leksika, taip pat specialūs kompiuteriniai ženklai – grafiniai ženklai, piktogramos. Ekonomikos forumų kalbos leksinių dedamųjų analizė parodė, kad tirtame diskurse produktyviausias buvo sintaksinis terminų darybos būdas. Ekonomikos formumų terminijoje vyrauja dvinariai žodžių junginiai. Tai šiuolaikinei terminijai būdinga tendencija. Rasti terminai, sudaryti morfologiniu būdu, atspindi terminų sistemos atskirų kategorijų ir integruojamų ekonomikos sąvokinių sričių tarpusavio ryšius. Pažymimas tradicinių priešdėlių ir priesagų naudojimas sudarant afiksinio tipo ekonomikos terminus. Atliktas tyrimas parodė, kad, nepaisant ekonomikos kompiuteriniame diskurse pastebimos funkcinių terminų tipų įvairovės, svarbiausi ir gausiausi yra atskirų sričių ekonomikos terminai. Tarp tokių terminų galima išskirti kalbinius vienetus, žyminčius pamatines ekonomikos sąvokas ir kategorijas (marketing, management, accounting ir kt.). 2 8 Elena Logunova | Structural and Semantic Analysis of Economic Terminology | in Computer Forums on Economics Структурный и СемантичеСкий анализ экономичеСкой терминологии на компьютерных форумах по экономике Статья посвящена структурно-семантическому анализу лексики экономических форумов. В работе рассматривается структура форума, который состоит из разделов и имеет в своем составе субфорумы. Отмечается, что субфорумы репрезентируются представленными там темами (в которых заключается концептуальное ядро обсуждения), состоящими из высказываний. Высказывание включает в себя лексические единицы компьютерного дискурса, которые представлены терминами, профессионализмами, эпонимами, аббревиатурами, «лексикой сниженного стиля», нетерминологической лексикой, а также специфические компьютерные знаки, представленные графическими и иконическими знаками. Анализ лексических составляющих языка компьютерных экономических форумов показал, что наиболее продуктивным в исследуемом дискурсе оказался синтаксический способ терминообразования. В экономической компьютерной терминологии преобладают бинарные словосочетания – тенденция, характерная для современных терминологий. Термины (в выявленных случаях), образованные морфологическим способом, призваны отражать взаимосвязи между различными категориями терминосистемы и интегрируемыми концептосферами экономической области. Отмечается участие традиционных префиксов и суффиксов в формировании производных экономических терминов аффиксального типа. Проведенное исследование показало, что, несмотря на то, что в экономическом компьютерном дискурсе представлены различные функциональные типы терминов, наиболее важными и количественно преобладающими единицами являются частноотраслевые экономические термины. Среди таких терминов можно выделить языковые единицы-знаки, которые отражают базовые понятия и категории экономики (marketing, management, accounting, etc.). Gauta 2016-05-16 Логунова Елена Андреевна Калининградский государственный технический университет 236000, Россия, Калининградская обл., г. Калининград, Советский проспект, д.1 Эл. почта: pakhomov[email protected]u