Contextual Constraints in Terminological Definitions

Abstract

The purpose of a terminological definition is to represent in natural language the most relevant knowledge associated with a term. However, the knowledge activated by a term (i.e., its meaning) varies according to the usage context. Since context is indispensable in meaning construction, it should guide terminological definition writing. Nonetheless, the recommendation is still that a terminological definition should represent a concept's necessary and sufficient characteristics, which are regarded as context-independent. This paper proposes a parametrization of the contextual constraints applicable to terminological definitions so that context can be accounted for in them. To this end, the notions of premeaning and precontext are introduced, and different types of contextual constraints (linguistic, thematic, cultural, etc.) are discussed. We argue that the conscious application of contextual constraints by the terminologist helps to produce more useful definitions and to avoid inconsistencies and biases.