ABOUT FAX

When translating terms [1] related to fax into Lithuanian, certain difficulties arise. All these terms have come from English, where they arose mostly through historical developments and, consequently, somewhat chaotically. Literal translation into Lithuanian produces unjustified inconsistencies that pass from one dictionary to another.

Let us use a method customary in computer science—clarifying concepts; that is, let us establish what is being discussed. And the higher (more abstract) the level of inquiry, the better.

Let us suppose that fax is used for some communication purposes. Communication is the transmission of a message (information) from point A to point B:

In this diagram, the following concepts can be clearly distinguished: 1 – the sender of the message (a person and/or a device) and 1' – the recipient of the message; 2 – the message itself (what is sent); 3 – the entire system that ensures this communication works.

In the familiar case of the telephone, these concepts are named as follows: 1 and 1' – the telephone set (or simply the telephone); 2 – a telephone message; 3 – telephone communication.

We note that the action “to transmit a message using telephone communication” is simply called “to communicate by telephone.”

Following the presented diagram and the analogy with the telephone (in linguistics, this seems to be one of the criteria of truth), all terms related to fax—

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These terms are proposed for translation as follows:

English term

Definition

Lithuanian term

fax (1) facsimile telefax

Transmission of page images over a communications system, creating copies of them at the receiving location.

facsimile communication

The definition is for concept No. 3, which has three English synonyms. Our translation expresses the concept directly. We should note that the English terms are not logical from the point of view of the Lithuanian language. For example, facsimile (derived from the Latin fac simile) means a copy, i.e., the message being sent, rather than a communications system for sending such copies. This is how we use this term (see below).

fax (2) telecopy

A copy received from facsimile communication equipment

faxgram facsimile

The definition is for concept No. 2, which has two English synonyms. We also provide two synonyms. Note that the English word fax is used here in its second sense.

fax machine facsimile machine

A functional unit intended for transmitting images by facsimile communication.

fax machine fax telefax

This is the name of concept No. 1. This is where the term fax appears. It is a shortened name for a fax machine (similarly to telephone set and telephone). The term telefax is a synonym for fax, probably emphasizing that telephone lines are used to send messages by fax (see diagram).

In general, a curious situation arises. The English term fax has two meanings. We borrow this word, add an ending—that is, the word faksas arises—and use it with an entirely different, third meaning. Our faksas is not facsimile communication or a fax message, but a machine.

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to send by fax

To transmit an image using facsimile communication.

send by fax

fax board

A board built into a user terminal for transmitting or receiving images via facsimile communication

fax board

fax modem

A functional unit combining fax and modem functions.

fax modem

Finally, we will also point out how information about a fax should be presented, for example, on a company letterhead. Simply write Fax (or Telefax, or Fax., but not Fax and not Faks), followed by the number. This is entirely analogous to a telephone: we write Telephone, meaning the telephone number (or, more precisely, the “telephone line number”).

Literatūra

ISO/IEC 2382-27: 1994 „Information technology – Vocabulary – Part 27: Office automation“.

Vladas TUMASONIS

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