TS ISO 1087

TS ISO 1087 is a vocabulary standard for the basic terms and definitions used in terminology work and terminology science. It provides a common conceptual foundation for understanding how terms are designated, how they relate to concepts, and how terminology is organised in professional practice. The document also makes a clear boundary by excluding terms and definitions that are specific to computer applications in terminology work.

What terminology work covers in practice

Terminology work is the systematic identification, definition, naming, and organisation of concepts in a subject field. It matters in technical documentation, standards development, translation, knowledge management, and multilingual communication because consistent use of terms reduces ambiguity. In this context, it is important to distinguish between a term as a linguistic designation and a concept as the underlying meaning or unit of thought. That distinction helps manage variants, synonyms, and shifts in meaning more reliably.

Why terminology science matters

Terminology science is the theoretical and applied discipline concerned with defining concepts and forming, analysing, and managing terms. In general technical practice, it supports standardisation, translation consistency, database structuring, and the clear transfer of domain knowledge. The value of this standard lies in giving professionals a shared base vocabulary so they can use core terminology in a consistent way across fields and languages. Although computer-aided terminology systems are widely used, this document specifically excludes terminology that is unique to such applications.