The Importance of Terminology Management in Technical Translation

In industries like engineering, pharmaceuticals and manufacturing, one small mistranslation can cause confusion, compliance issues, or even safety risks. Technical translation isn’t just about fluency; it’s about precision.

This is where terminology management becomes essential. By maintaining consistent, approved vocabulary across all documents, businesses protect product integrity and brand reputation.

In this post, we explain what terminology management is, why it’s critical, and how UK companies can benefit from adopting a structured approach.

What Is Terminology Management?

Terminology management is the process of collecting, organising and standardising key terms used in a company’s documentation, manuals and marketing materials.

These terms are stored in a database, often called a termbase and shared with translators to ensure everyone uses the same approved wording.

Typical Elements of a Termbase

• Term: The approved word or phrase.

• Definition: A short explanation of its meaning.

• Context/Example: Where and how it’s used.

• Approved Translations: The equivalent term in other languages.

• Notes: Stylistic preferences or restrictions (e.g., “don’t translate brand names”).

Why Terminology Consistency Matters

1. Accuracy & Compliance:

   
   

   In technical fields, inconsistent wording can violate safety regulations or mislead users. For instance, varying between “pressure valve” and “pressure regulator” could cause operational errors.

2. Efficiency & Speed:

   
   

   Translators don’t waste time debating terminology. Agreed vocabulary reduces queries and shortens turnaround times.

3. Brand Voice & Professionalism:

   
   

   Consistency across manuals, brochures, and training materials reinforces professionalism and builds trust with international customers.

4. Cost Savings:

   
   

   Once terms are approved, they feed into translation memory (TM) tools, cutting future translation costs and ensuring uniform updates.

How Terminology Management Works in Practice

1. Identify Key Terms:

   
   

   Start by listing technical jargon, product names, abbreviations, and safety notices.

   
   

2. Build a Multilingual Termbase:

   
   

   A professional agency can extract frequent terms from your existing documents using CAT (Computer-Assisted Translation) tools.

   
   

3. Review & Approve Internally:

   
   

   Engineers, marketing teams and legal departments validate definitions and translations.

   
   

4. Integrate into Workflow:

   
   

   Translators reference the termbase within their CAT tools, ensuring every new project uses identical wording.

   
   

5. Maintain & Update Regularly:

   
   

   Language evolves — so should your termbase. Add new product lines, retire outdated phrases, and confirm accuracy annually.

Industry Examples

• Manufacturing: Standardising part names, warning labels, and operating instructions across multiple product lines.

• Pharma & Medical: Managing drug names, dosage instructions, and clinical terminology for regulatory compliance.

• Software & IT: Ensuring UI elements, menus and error messages are translated consistently.

• Engineering & Construction: Harmonising terminology for safety manuals, tender documents and equipment lists.

Tools & Technology

Common terminology management platforms include SDL MultiTerm, TermWeb, MemoQ TermBase, and XTM Cloud. These integrate directly with translation memory systems, ensuring terms automatically appear during translation.

For smaller businesses, a simple Excel or Google Sheet can work as a starting point, but as projects grow, a dedicated tool quickly pays off in quality and speed.

Common Challenges & How to Avoid Them

Challenge	Solution
Too many conflicting term versions	Centralise review and nominate an in-house terminology owner
Translators not following the list	Integrate termbase into CAT tool and enforce QA checks
Updates missed across languages	Schedule quarterly terminology reviews
Inconsistent brand names	Add “non-translatable” tags for trademarks

Benefits for UK Exporters and Manufacturers

• Compliance: Reduces the risk of non-conformity with EU and UK safety standards.

• Customer Satisfaction: Clear, accurate manuals build trust in international markets.

• Time Efficiency: Less back-and-forth during translations.

• Scalability: Supports future language additions as your export markets grow.

FAQs

Is terminology management only for large corporations?

Not at all… even small exporters benefit from having an approved term list. It prevents costly rework later.

How often should a termbase be updated?

At least once a year, or whenever new products or markets are introduced.

Can AI tools maintain terminology automatically?

Some can suggest new terms, but human validation remains essential to maintain accuracy and tone.

Technical translation is only as reliable as the terminology behind it. Establishing clear, consistent vocabulary ensures safety, compliance and brand integrity across every language.

At Tongue Tied, our technical translators work with industry-approved termbases and translation memory systems to guarantee precision and consistency, no matter how complex your documentation.

👉 Contact our team today to discuss building a terminology management system for your business and simplify your multilingual documentation process.