In technical fields some terms are taken over from the source language as they are and become established in the industry in that form. Looking for a Turkish equivalent for these terms is sometimes the right choice and sometimes one that harms comprehensibility. The decision is made by looking at how far the term has become established in the industry.
Definition
A borrowed term is a term that passes from the source language into the target language with its form slightly changed. The transfer becomes established over time. Usage varies with the industry.
The criterion of being established
How much a term is used in the industry is the criterion for the decision. An established term is kept. The criterion is determined by observation.
The risk of looking for an equivalent
Looking for an equivalent for an established borrowed term can make the text incomprehensible. The reader does not recognise the term. Comprehensibility is put first.
The risk of keeping it
Keeping a term that is not established makes things hard for the reader as well. An unnecessary foreign word weighs the text down. A balance is struck.
Priority of the client's preference
If the organisation has a preference of its own, it is applied. Industry usage does not take precedence over it. The organisation defines its own language.
Explanation on first occurrence
A term that is to be kept can be explained briefly where it first occurs. The explanation supports the reader. It is not repeated.
Giving it together with the equivalent
The term and its equivalent can be given together, and afterwards one of them is used. This method is useful in periods of transition. The preference is consistent.
Spelling
How the borrowed term will be written in the target language is determined. Mixed spelling shows carelessness. The rule is fixed.
Taking suffixes
When suffixes are added to borrowed terms, the spelling rules are applied. Inconsistent suffixes spoil the text. The rule is determined.
Use of the plural
The plural form of the term is built according to the target language. The plural of the source language is not carried over. The rule is applied.
Relationship with abbreviations
Some borrowed terms circulate as abbreviations. The abbreviation is kept, and its expansion can be translated. The two layers are kept apart.
Variation by industry
A term may be established in one industry and foreign in another. The decision is made according to the industry. No generalisation is made.
Change over time
Whether a term is established changes over time, and the decisions are reviewed. A preference that has aged is updated. The list is maintained.
Preference in formal texts
In texts submitted to public institutions, the equivalent may be preferred. The expectation varies with the institution. The question is asked.
Entering it in the terminology list
The decision is recorded in the terminology list and its reason is written down. A decision without a reason gets debated again. A record is kept.
The consistency requirement
In one text the same term cannot sometimes be kept and sometimes translated. There is a single preference. It is checked by scanning.
According to the reader profile
An expert reader recognises the borrowed term, a general reader does not. The target reader is decisive. The decision is made accordingly.
Continuity across documents
The same term is handled in the same way in the different documents of the same client. A term that is kept in one document and translated in another fragments the corporate language. Continuity is secured by means of the terminology list.
What it is confused with
A borrowed term is frequently taken for a translation error. Yet keeping a term that is established in the industry is a deliberate decision, and most of the time it increases comprehensibility. The error lies in a decision that is unreasoned and inconsistent.