If we think of a company’s language services as a skyscraper, terminology would be its foundation. Yet this “foundation” is often overlooked. In many enterprises’ internationalization efforts, the crucial task of terminology management still suffers from significant misconceptions and improper practices.
Among these issues, the most widespread and destructive is the blurry understanding of terminology categories: terms with different properties, purposes, and management methods are often lumped together, creating confusion and misuse during real-world application—and ultimately undermining productivity and content quality.
Glossary ≠ Dictionary
Most hidden risks in terminology management are embedded from the very beginning. Unlike general vocabulary, terminology refers to specialized terms used to represent specific concepts within a defined domain, characterized by “domain” and “unambiguity.” For writing and translation, a glossary represents strict usage rules.
Therefore, indiscriminately adding general vocabulary to a glossary can easily turn it into a bloated, low-value ordinary dictionary with no technical relevance.
Forbidden Terms
Unlike standard terminology lists, which require the use of specified terms, forbidden terms specify the opposite—they prohibit the use of certain terms. For example, the concept of “blacklist/whitelist” has gradually been replaced in English by “blocklist/allowlist” due to historical and cultural considerations.
Therefore, any terms such as “blacklist/whitelist,” which may be culturally sensitive or discouraged, must be clearly marked and managed as forbidden terms. This helps writers and translators avoid misuse and ensures that QA teams can apply appropriate strategies.
DNT (Do Not Translate)
DNT stands for Do Not Translate, one of the most common terminology types. DNT terms must remain exactly as they appear in the source text and should not (and must not) be translated.
Common DNT terms include names of brands or product technologies, such as iOS, as well as advertising slogans used for marketing purposes—such as Nike’s “Just do it.”
UI Terms
UI terms refer to user interface strings within software or app-based services. Although most of these entries do not meet the technical definition of “terminology,” they play an extremely important role in translation.
For example, when translating software user manuals, any description involving interface interactions requires referencing interface elements such as menus, buttons, and feature names. Therefore, gathering and managing key UI terms is essential to ensure consistent and accurate use of interface elements in writing and translation process.
Conclusion
Terminology management is not only the foundation of language services but also a core pillar of an enterprise’s global operations. From technical terminology to DNT terms, forbidden terms, and UI terms, companies can only build a scientific and standardized terminology system by categorizing and managing each type effectively. This approach enables them to avoid confusion and misuse while improving translation efficiency and content quality.
The structured development of a terminology list is like constructing a solid foundation for a skyscraper: only with a strong base can a company’s language services develop steadily and confidently on the global stage.
