estonian national defence college

Athens, 22-27 June 2008Athens, 22-27 June 2008 Epp Leete – Estonian National Defence CollegeEpp Leete – Estonian National Defence College

ESTONIAN NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGEESTONIAN NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE


Military Terminology in Military Terminology in the Estonian Languagethe Estonian Language


How my topic fitsHow my topic fitsinto the conference theme?into the conference theme?

Terminology and terms Terminology and terms are an inseparable and are an inseparable and integral part of any integral part of any specialized language specialized language and specialty training and specialty training as terms connect us to as terms connect us to the objects in the real the objects in the real world.world.


• During the Soviet occupation (1940-1991), During the Soviet occupation (1940-1991), Estonia did not have any army or armed forces, Estonia did not have any army or armed forces, and consequently there was no military and consequently there was no military terminology in the Estonian language. terminology in the Estonian language.

• Up to the beginning of the 1990s, military Up to the beginning of the 1990s, military terminology was influenced mostly by the terminology was influenced mostly by the Russian language, while since then, military Russian language, while since then, military terminology has come mostly from English. terminology has come mostly from English.

Military terminologyMilitary terminologyin the Estonian languagein the Estonian language


Terminology confusionTerminology confusion

• concept clusters:concept clusters:

engagement area - killing zoneengagement area - killing zone

• imitating other languages:imitating other languages:

noncombatant – nonkombatantnoncombatant – nonkombatant

• translation loans:translation loans:

tactical operation – taktikaline operatsioon tactical operation – taktikaline operatsioon


What is a term?What is a term?

• according to Cabré, concepts are mentally according to Cabré, concepts are mentally independent and exist before they are independent and exist before they are named, and it’s only through the named, and it’s only through the standardization of terms that the concepts standardization of terms that the concepts that mostly do not have a rigidly set border that mostly do not have a rigidly set border obtain artificially set limits (1999:42-43). obtain artificially set limits (1999:42-43).


What are the main characteristicsWhat are the main characteristicsof a term? of a term?

• transparency and clarity;transparency and clarity;

• appropriateness;appropriateness;

• linguistic economy;linguistic economy;

• monosemy or carrying one meaning;monosemy or carrying one meaning;

• preference of native language;preference of native language;

• grammatical aspects - derivability and grammatical aspects - derivability and correctness.correctness.


Transparency and clarity Transparency and clarity

KKey element or key characteristicsey element or key characteristics

of the concept it signifies:of the concept it signifies:

• deploy – deploy – siirma siirma (transplant)(transplant)

• engagement – engagement – kokkupõrgekokkupõrge (clash, crash, (clash, crash, collision)collision)


AppropriatenessAppropriateness

• simulation – simulation – simulatsioonsimulatsioon

• simulator – simulator – simulaatorsimulaator

The 1st meaning of the Estonian word The 1st meaning of the Estonian word simuleerimasimuleerima is is to pretendto pretend

• imitatsioonimitatsioon (copy, reproduction) or (copy, reproduction) or

matkematke (imitation, copy) (imitation, copy)


Linguistic economyLinguistic economy

• the term should be as short as possible; the term should be as short as possible; the more the term is used the shorter it the more the term is used the shorter it should be. should be.

• sometimes Estonian is more economical sometimes Estonian is more economical than English: than English: line of departureline of departure – – lähtejoonlähtejoon


Monosemy or Monosemy or carrying one meaningcarrying one meaning

• synonyms can take on different meanings synonyms can take on different meanings over time:over time:

capability: capability: võimevõime – (ability/capability), – (ability/capability), võimekusvõimekus – (capability) – (capability)

• they are sometimes defined as having they are sometimes defined as having different meanings and as if designating different meanings and as if designating different concepts. different concepts.


Preference for native language Preference for native language

• mission – mission – missioon, sõjaline operatsioonmissioon, sõjaline operatsioon (military operation), or (military operation), or operatsioon, operatsioon, välisteenistusvälisteenistus (service abroad), depending (service abroad), depending on the context also on the context also ülesanneülesanne (task) etc. (task) etc.

• canalize - canalize - kanaliseerimakanaliseerima vs vs sängitamasängitama, the , the borrowed term borrowed term kanaliseerimakanaliseerima should be should be preferred, as the 1st meaning of preferred, as the 1st meaning of sängitamasängitama is is to buryto bury..


Present terminologyPresent terminologystandardization 1standardization 1

• branch of the armed forces (navy, air branch of the armed forces (navy, air force, land force) – force, land force) – põhiväeliikpõhiväeliik (main (main branch of the armed forces)branch of the armed forces)

• arm of service (artillery, signals etc.) – arm of service (artillery, signals etc.) – väeliikväeliik (branch of the armed forces) (branch of the armed forces)

• branch of the armed forces (navy, air branch of the armed forces (navy, air force, land force) – force, land force) – väeliikväeliik (branch of the (branch of the armed forces)armed forces)

• arm of service – arm of service – relvaliikrelvaliik (weapon type) (weapon type)


• Security and Defense Policy and Military Security and Defense Policy and Military Terminology Committee attached to the Terminology Committee attached to the Ministry of Defence was established in Ministry of Defence was established in 2003.2003.

• Terms are mostly based on the AAP-6 Terms are mostly based on the AAP-6 (Allied Administrative Publications) (Allied Administrative Publications)




• specific subject areas, word clusters or the concept systems by taking the English term and its definition and providing all existing Estonian equivalents.

• then they fix the Estonian terms within each concept system considering close synonyms etc.



• online Estonian-English bilingual dictionary called MILITERM http://mt.legaltext.ee/militerm/

• the Committee can cover and admit up to 1000 terms per year;

• by the end of 2007 around 5000 terms with definitions were admitted;

• includes mostly the strategic and operational level terms and almost no tactical level terms.


NeotermsNeoterms

• psychological consolidation activities – psychological consolidation activities – psühholoogilised sõbrastamisvõttedpsühholoogilised sõbrastamisvõtted (psychological friends - making measures)(psychological friends - making measures)


Harmonization outside CommitteeHarmonization outside Committee

• 35 infantry tactics terms (defensive operations); • expert group of 20 officers with battalion or brigade

level military training in English;• terms with definition in English, with all Estonian

equivalents from specialized dictionaries (up to six); • for one English term, as many as nine different

Estonian equivalents were given by 20 people.


ENGAGEMENT ENGAGEMENT (a tactical conflict, usually between opposing lower (a tactical conflict, usually between opposing lower echelons maneuver forces; FM 1-02)echelons maneuver forces; FM 1-02)

ESTONIAN ESTONIAN BACK-TRANSLATIONBACK-TRANSLATION COMMENTSCOMMENTS

lahingukontaktlahingukontakt combat contactcombat contact (10) based on def(10) based on def

lahinglahing battle, combatbattle, combat (3) too general(3) too general

kokkupõrgekokkupõrge clash, collision, clash, collision, conflictconflict

(3) 1st meaning - traffic (3) 1st meaning - traffic accidents, fightaccidents, fight

kontaktkontakt contactcontact (2) too general(2) too general

tulekontakttulekontakt fire contactfire contact(1) too precise, the term (1) too precise, the term does not involve only fire does not involve only fire supportsupport

did not answer (1)did not answer (1)


ENGAGEMENT AREAENGAGEMENT AREAan area where the commander intends to contain and destroy an area where the commander intends to contain and destroy enemy forces with the massed effects of all available weapons enemy forces with the massed effects of all available weapons and supporting systems FM 3-90and supporting systems FM 3-90


hävitusalahävitusala destruction areadestruction area (17) short(17) short

löögialalöögiala hitting areahitting area (1)(1)

kokkupõrkealakokkupõrkeala collision/conflict areacollision/conflict area (0)(0)

lahingualalahinguala area of operationarea of operation (1) too general(1) too general

koondtulealakoondtuleala concentrated fire areaconcentrated fire area (1) different meaning(1) different meaning

lahingukontakti-lahingukontakti-alaala combat contact areacombat contact area (0) based on prev. term, (0) based on prev. term,

euphemistic, longeuphemistic, long


KEY TERRAINKEY TERRAINany location or area the seizure or retention of which affords a any location or area the seizure or retention of which affords a marked advantage to either combatant; FM 3-90marked advantage to either combatant; FM 3-90


võtmealavõtmeala key areakey area (10) based on def, metaphor(10) based on def, metaphor

võtmemaastikvõtmemaastik key terrainkey terrain (7) direct translation (7) direct translation

võtmekohtvõtmekoht key placekey place (3) too precise in meaning(3) too precise in meaning

oluline alaoluline ala important areaimportant area (0) are synonyms(0) are synonyms

oluline kohtoluline koht important placeimportant place (0)(0)

valitsev valitsev piirkondpiirkond

dominant, governing dominant, governing regionregion

(0) may create (0) may create misconceptionsmisconceptions


ConclusionsConclusions

• Cabré: harmonized terminology ensures a more efficient communication between specialists;

• some members of the EDF advocate the use of English to ensure the mutual understanding at the international level;

• sensitive attitude towards language issues.


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