TOWARDS THE TREATMENT OF POLYSEMOUS TERMS

The world of terminology has experienced a significant shift over the past two decades. Traditionally, terms were seen as univocal, but this perception has changed as terms have evolved, developing polysemy, homonymy, and synonymy. This evolution has brought them closer to the structure of general-language words, blurring the lines between the two. The terminologization of general-language words, determinologization of terms, and term migration between multiple domains through metaphorization have also become widespread, adding to the complexity of the field. This dynamic landscape necessitates a reevaluation of existing terminological and terminology-adjacent lexicological theories and the development of new methodologies for terminology treatment, management, and visualization in dictionaries. This paper introduces a novel approach to terminology meaning analysis. By synthesizing and transforming lexicological theories (Explanatory-Combinatorial Lexicology, more specifically, Semantic Bridges, and Frame-Based Terminology), as well as implementing Etymology and Definition analyses, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the meanings of polysemous terms. Moreover, several digital research resources and software tools were used to analyze empirical data. Thus, our methodology offers a fresh perspective on the terminological dictionary entry. Full Text (PDF)