TS ISO 704

TS ISO 704 is a foundational standard on how terminology work should be conceived and organized. Its subject is the basic principles and methods used to prepare and compile terminologies both within and outside standardization, together with the relationships between objects, concepts, and their terminological representations. In practical terms, it treats terms not as loose labels, but as signs that point to defined concepts.

Why the conceptual structure matters

In terminology management, object, concept, and term are related but not interchangeable. An object is a real-world entity, a concept is the mental abstraction used to classify it, and a terminological representation is the linguistic form used to name that concept. Keeping these distinctions clear is essential for consistent naming in technical fields, for accurate multilingual equivalence, and for reducing ambiguity. The general perspective of ISO 704 is that terms belong to concept systems rather than standing alone.

General technical context for terminology work

In broader technical practice, these principles matter in standardization projects, dictionaries and lexical resources, technical documentation, translation, and knowledge organization. Consistent terminology supports clearer definitions, more coherent concept systems, and smoother communication between organizations and disciplines. The scope of this standard covers terminology work in both standardized and non-standardized environments, making it relevant wherever controlled language and concept-based naming are needed.

This listing corresponds to an ISO 704-based terminology standard, and the edition shown here has been withdrawn. Even so, its subject remains a key reference point for concept-oriented terminology work and for understanding how terms relate to the concepts they represent.