ANALYSIS OF FRENCH AND HUNGARIAN HIGHER EDUCATION TERMINOLOGY

Transcription

1 UNIVERSITY OF PANNONIA DOCTORAL SCHOOL IN LANGUAGE SCIENCES DOCTORAL DISSERTATION Abstract ANALYSIS OF FRENCH AND HUNGARIAN HIGHER EDUCATION TERMINOLOGY Dissertation Director: Valéria RÉVAY PhD, Dr. Habil. Written by: József SEBESTYÉN Veszprém

2 1. Subject of the Dissertation The subject of the dissertation has been inspired by an issue related to ontology and logics, nevertheless it also builds on a relatively new discipline, namely on theoretical terminology. Situated at the crossroads of disciplines aiming to structure and identify elements of universal knowledge, theoretical terminology can be considered an underlying basis not only for depicting the conceptual background of formal systems but also for revealing the system of the elements of human knowledge. In light with Alain Rey s interpretation, considering that all domains of knowledge necessitate a certain terminology that is a system of well-defined and unequivocal terms structured in a proper hierarchy, and that higher education has to be, ab ovo, the depositary of universal knowledge, all research carried out in the aim to standardise the terminology and the elements of these institutions has proved to be inevitable, topical and extremely useful. Purely theoretical and applied research carried out in higher education institutions and planned along well-defined scientific domains, is currently coupled with research born out of the instant needs of the institutions themselves. The main reasons behind this phenomenon reside in social and political requirements. For instance the Bologna Declaration strives to render the system of scientific titles and degrees more transparent and more permeable, meanwhile allowing the subjects, the teaching modules and the curricula to reach European standards. These initiatives of structural and conceptual harmonization are inevitably calling for research in the field of terminology. Moreover, I firmly believe that research should definitely precede all work related to classification, systemization and linguistic management. Consequently, terminology has to be the first premise. Therefore, the comparative analysis of terminology related to degrees, titles, teaching staff and management, as well as educational institutions is meeting not only international norms and requirements, but also the epistemology of the theory of terminology. In order to contribute to the efficient implementation of the above mentioned social projects, the aim of the dissertation is to provide a contrastive analysis of the terminology of the French and the Hungarian higher education systems. 2. Aims of the Dissertation In order to counterbalance the hegemony of the activity carried out in the field of natural and technical sciences, my aim is to prove that the human sciences, as well as the social and institutional domains (e.g. higher education as a social sub-system) equally necessitate projects and interventions in the field of terminology. The concepts and the entities of the natural sciences generate a more transparent, better structured and better defined terminology system than that of the social and human sciences, as these sciences themselves are grouped into ontological, logical and conceptual systems. Obviously, ontological systems that lack structure and hierarchy will definitely face difficulties in terminology organization. The main objective of the dissertation is to contradict this terminological paradigm based on set theory. To this end I have endeavoured to find methods and models of classification suitable to recognize and organize the concepts and terms used in the French and the Hungarian systems of higher education. The long-term objective is the creation of a method of structural and conceptual classification of the terminology used in institutional and administrative domains. 2

3 3. Hypotheses of the Dissertation H1 In order to render the classification of terms belonging to a particular field pertinent whether this relates to natural and technical sciences, empirical or social domains, or human sciences the actual terminological work requires preliminary conceptual research. H2 One of the direct consequences of H1 is that the morpho-syntactic analysis of the terms of a particular field does not provide all the information necessary for the classification of the terms and for the comprehension of their relations. H3 Human sciences, social activities, social sub-systems are suitable for allowing the organization of their terms in well-defined structures and conceptual classes just as the ontological reality and the empirical domains are, the elements of which are a priori organized into definite classes and structures. H4 If the terms related to the analysed concepts are pertinent, their semantic relations have to be identical, or at least analogue with those existing at the level of concepts. H5 While carrying out a comparative analysis of two systems belonging to two different cultures, the morphological and formal similarity of two terms does not mean that the two related concepts occupy the same position or the same hierarchical position in their own systems. H6 According to hypothesis H5, it is obvious that the morpho-syntactic divergence or the formal difference between two terminological units belonging to different languages and cultures does not mean that the two concepts cannot be identical or occupy the same hierarchical position in their systems. H7 The ordinary signifiers (lexemes or other terms) can bring about conceptual ambiguities. In order to eliminate them, the set theory can offer a pertinent and efficient solution. The management of ambiguities as well as the logics of mathematical sets calls for encoding the terminology units marked with ordinary linguistic signs. 4. Research Methods The end-analysis of each term is based on information (terminological data) in the terminological cards proposed by Dubuc and L Homme. Our terminology card includes a box which is unusual compared to the old terminographic tradition. In order to establish the structure of the concepts designated by the terms, we have attached a symbol to each term (a symbol which is different from the lexical designation). To this we have added a code, whose role was to mark the characteristics of the concept. The reason for our introducing these codes lies in one of our initial hypotheses. We have postulated that the introduction of formal codes helps to elucidate the ambiguities of ordinary signifiers, by this they help prove or contradict the incapability of institutional domains to organize their concepts into structures and classes. 5. Research Results The conceptual, lexical and semantic, and morpho-syntactic analyses suggest the following conclusions: 5.1. At the level of quantitative analyses: In both systems (the French and the Hungarian higher education systems) the proportion of simple terms is inferior to the complex ones. (These data are indicating merely a tendency. In order to render them feasible, a larger volume of analysis would be required.) 3

4 The French higher education system displays more terms than the analysed Hungarian terms also present in the Glossary sources As to the degrees and titles, in the French system the proportion of complex terms created by the morphological juxtaposition of graphic entitites is 56%. In case of the Hungarian system, this proportion is only 31%. At this level we have to equally consider the typological difference of the two languages which manifests itself in the presence of two or more nouns forming a single graphic entity: the Hungarian language exhibits 13% of these terms (with the exception of the only complex term formed by linking ingénieur-maître). In the case of complex terms formed by derivation, the proportion is more balanced (16% in the French and 13% in the Hungarian system respectively.) 5.2. At the level of conceptual and lexical and semantic analyses: The results of the analyses contradict the initial terminological paradigm. The analysed terms supplied with codes designate elements (concepts) which can be organized into hierarchical structures. Thus we can establish relations of meronymic coordination, or hyponymic relations. In other words, the terms of the higher education systems can be organized in classes displaying a tree-diagram architecture Such classification is mostly present in the domains of logics, ontology, terminology and currently also in human sciences. Thus we can state that higher education, as a domain of terminology research, cannot be exempted The structural logics following the analyses and the classification framework proposed by the Glossary resources equally prove that the elements of human and social sciences form terminological systems and classes that can be detected and analysed The classification of the terms analysed within the French and the Hungarian systems of higher education and the regrouping of objects, entities and that of the terms (as in the case of natural sciences: biology, zoology, etc.) is based on similarities according to a set of criteria At the level of equivalence: The equivalence of terms can be traced on the basis of the similarities of the designated concepts The concepts common to both higher education systems result in the perfect equivalence of the two terms. For example, professeur des universités and egyetemi tanár can be considered more or less perfect equivalents as they designate relatively identical E-s (entities). (Relatively identical means in this case that the semantic agents taking part in the nomination of the professeurs des universités and of egyetemi tanár are not identical. The degree of equivalence is not as evident in the case of the terms adjunktus and Ater (attaché temporaire à l enseignement et à la recherche) or moniteur The structural difference of the two systems of higher education results in divergences at the level of terminology. One can find terms that exist in the French system, but are missing from the Hungarian one (e.g.: professeur agrégé). This remark is also valid for the other direction. (The term főiskolai docens of the Hungarian system has no equivalent in French.) These results suggest that the initiatives of the Bologna Process and the Declaration of Lisbon necessitate more terminological work for the harmonization of educational programs and provide transparence of the degrees of the teaching staff. We are fully convinced that these works have to be terminological in the first place, then followed by a harmonization at conceptual level. 4

5 6. Conclusion H1 In order to outline the relationship between the terms found within the higher education systems and to allow their organization into systems, we have carried out research and preliminary conceptual analyses without which our classification endeavours would have failed. Thus the hypothesis seems to have been proved. H2 The morpho-syntactic character of terms provides primary information related to the signifiers. The detection of the signified needed a lexical and semantic approach which led to the perception of the denoted concepts. H3 The terms analysed using lexical and semantic or morphological and conceptual approach designate elements which are capable of getting organized into hierarchical structures even if the designated entities do not represent structures with ontological hierarchies. Even if the analysed objects and states, properties and qualities do not organize a priori into conceptual structures and classes, we can group them according to their distinctive features, by eventual semantic predicates or by logical mutual relations. In one word: the classifying character of a concept does not depend on the domain it belongs to. H4 To prove this hypothesis is far from being an evident enterprise. We are convinced that the task needs much more research and structural analysis. In order to reach sufficient and convincing qualitative findings, we would need a larger corpus of terms for analysis. In addition we would have to establish parallel tree-diagrams of concept and term systems. Our initial research (based on logical and formal foundations) proves the validity of this hypothesis; that is, the relationship between the terms should reflect conceptual relations. H5 can be proved by the analysis and the conceptual classification of several terms (recteur and rektor; professeur and professzor). We have to remember that the morphological similarity of terms present in the two systems belonging to two different cultures does not mean that the designated concepts are at the same level or in the same place of the system hierarchy. H6 The hypothesis can be proved with the analysis and conceptual classification of the treated terms. We have to remember that two concepts belonging to two different languages and cultures and represented by diverging morpho-syntactic units can be identical or occupy the same hierarchical place in their own system. This proof is the antithesis of hypothesis H5 H7 The encoding process has proved capable of managing the ambiguities emerging from the nature of ordinary signs and from the differences existing between the two compared systems. 5

6 7. Publications of the author in the present field of research 1. SEBESTYÉN JÓZSEF: Le rôle des structures terminologiques dans l analyse contrastive des termes. In Kukorelli Katalin (szerk.): A tartalom és forma harmóniájának kommunikációja (XII. Dunaújvárosi Nemzetközi Alkalmazott Nyelvészeti és Kommunikációs Konferencia). Dunaújváros (2010), pp SEBESTYÉN JÓZSEF: Gazdasági-üzleti szaknyelvre, terminológiára oktatni. In Hári Gyula (szerk.), Sebestyén József (műszaki szerk.): Végetlen a tér, mely munkára hív (Köszöntő kötet Révay Valéria 60. születésnapjára). Veszprém (2010), pp SEBESTYÉN JÓZSEF: Terminológiai rendszerelméletek és a szervezeti felépítés viszonya a felsőoktatási szaknyelvben. In Silye Magdolna (szerk.): Porta Lingua 2009 Szaktudás idegen nyelven. Debrecen (2009), pp SEBESTYÉN JÓZSEF: Egy találkozás felsőoktatás-terminológiai története. In Sebestyén József (szerk.): A nyelv, az irodalom és a kultúra varázsa (Köszöntő kötet Mihalovics Árpád 60. születésnapjára). Veszprém (2009), pp SEBESTYÉN JÓZSEF: Systèmes et pratiques terminologiques en sciences ès Lettres. In Kapitány András (szerk.): Egy csepp tudomány (Válogatott munkák a VI. Jedlik Ányos Szakmai napok előadóitól). Veszprém (2009), pp SEBESTYÉN JÓZSEF: Champs notionnels et termes spécifiques dans le domaine de l enseignement supérieur. In Mihalovics Árpád, Balogh József (szerk.): Langues de spécialité: recherches et formations (Études Françaises 5). Veszprém (2009), pp Bibliography Cabré, M. Teresa (1998): La terminologie : théorie, méthode et applications (Terminology and Lexicography Research and Practice, Traduction de La terminologia, La teoria, els mètodes, les aplicacions). Les Presses de l Université d Ottawa, Ottawa. Dubuc, Robert (2002): Manuel pratique de terminologie. Linguatech, Quebec. Déclaration commune des ministres européens de l éducation, le 19 juin 1999 Bologne, Goffin, R. (1997): L Eurolecte: le langage d une Europe communautaire en devenir, Terminologie et traduction, OPOCE, Luxembourg, 1, p Goffin, R. (2000): L Eurolecte: le langage (spécifique) de la construction européenne et ses traductions. In: La traduction: théories et pratiques, Actes du colloque international Tunis Publications de l ENS, p L Homme, M.C. (2004): La terminologie : principes et techniques. Montréal, Les Presse de l Université de Montréal Rey, A. (1979): La terminologie, noms et notions. Que-sais-je, Paris, PUF. Wüster, E. (1979): Einführung in die Allgemeine Terminologielehre und terminologische Lexikographie. Wien/New York. 6