DG Interpretation terminology system
This a brief description of the DG Interpretation terminology system, which is based on the following main elements:
DG Interpretation glossaries
The DG Interpretation glossaries have been compiled over the years by the DG Interpretation terminologists and by DG Interpretation interpreters, whether they have been members of the Terminologica Network (a network of representatives of every interpretation unit) or not. The glossaries produced by DG Interpretation are based on two main sources: on information from the meetings interpreters work in and on Commission or outside documents which exist in several languages.
In addition, there are many glossaries from external organisations (UN organisations, OECD, etc). In total, the database currently contains 1,089 glossaries comprising over 200,000 terms.
Lithos
Lithos is a search engine developed in-house by DG Interpretation. It allows interpreters to search for terms in all DG Interpretation glossaries on the basis of their own pre-defined profiles. The database created to this end is updated every month in order to incorporate all new entries and any new glossaries.
For interpreters Lithos presents the following advantages compared to other search engines such as IATE:
Lithos can be used either on-line (from the DG Interpretation meeting preparation pages) or off-line: it is possible to download the full contents of the whole of Lithos so that interpreters can search all DG Interpretation glossaries off-line, which is extremely practical for missions and bilaterals.
Meeting preparation pages
The meeting preparation pages can be accessed through the internal intranet page (SCICnet). They provide access not only to the DG Interpretation glossaries and to Lithos but to many other terminology, documentation and information tools as well: e.g. IATE (interinstitutional terminology database), Euramis (terminology search in DGT translation memories), EUR-Lex (Document search in EU legislation), on-line dictionaries, the European Commission press release database, country information etc.
Meeting Blog
The Meeting Blog is an instrument which interpreters use to exchange information on terminology but also on other meeting-related issues (e.g. to communicate which articles of a Commission proposal are due to be discussed on a given day to the interpreters who will do the next meeting, so that they know which part of a text to focus their preparation on).
In particular, through the Blog interpreters exchange terms which are frequently used or become popular in certain meetings ("buzz words"), and such terms can later find their way into the DG Interpretation glossaries.
Meeting preparation sheets
Meeting preparation sheets are a tool at the crossroads of terminology and documentation. They provide fundamental information about a meeting, committee, working group or forum in terms of its composition (members), mandate, the procedures followed in a meeting (voting, chairman, etc), but also about the subjects discussed in the meeting.
Terminologica network
The main input into the DG Interpretation terminology system comes from the following sources: the 2 full-time DG Interpretation terminologists, 2 "rotateurs" (interpreters who do terminology work one day per week), and the Terminologica network, in which 2 representatives from every booth collaborate to make glossaries and discuss terminology issues at the Terminologica meetings, which take place several times a year.
Meeting preparation courses
The terminologists at DG Interpretation also run several types of meeting preparation courses in order to explain the ins and outs of the DG Interpretation terminology system to newcomers and more experienced interpreters.