Metaterminology in EU drafting and translation guidelines

Abstract

Recognising the importance of linguistic quality of EU drafting and translation guidelines, and adopting a novel, metaterminological perspective, this study examines how these guidelines reflect the terminology of terminology in the EU context. Six analytical categories were identified (

, , , , . , . ) to trace both explicit and implicit references in eight selected EU guides. The findings reveal that explicit references are used inconsistently, while certain terminological phenomena are merely implied, reflecting both prescriptive and descriptive approaches. The notion of EU terminology is variably framed, ranging from neutral description to being labelled as jargon. Although EU and national terminology are distinguished, strategies for their use and translation are either unnamed or confined to the text level, without addressing the need for different strategies at the term level. The study concludes that further research on metaterminology is essential for enhancing terminological awareness and for addressing the complexities of the EU context.