Dėl kai kurių metrologijos terminų

Vytautas VALIUKĖNAS, Pranas Juozas ŽILINSKAS ON SOME METROLOGY TERMS In the “Dictionary of Contemporary Lithuanian” [1], the word metrology is defined as follows: metrology – the science of weights and measures. In the Lithuanian standard LST 1281-93 “Metrology. Terms and definitions” [2], we find that it is “the science of measurements, methods and means for maintaining their uniformity, and ways of achieving the required measurement accuracy.” In the “International Vocabulary of Basic and General Terms in Metrology” [3], currently being prepared for publication, metrology is the science of measurement (English science of measurement, French science de la mesure). In the “Dictionary of Foreign Words” [4], it is the science that studies measurements, their methods, units of measurement, and unit standards. In LTE [5], we find: metrology – a branch of physics that studies measurements and the methods by which their uniformity and the required accuracy are achieved. We see that definitions of metrology as a science in contemporary Lithuanian literature are not uniform; however, nearly every definition contains the word measurement, with the exception of the “Dictionary of Contemporary Lithuanian.” In the “International Classification of Standards” [6], metrology is assigned to a field entitled “Metrology and measurement. Physical phenomena.” In our opinion, the definition of metrology in the “Dictionary of Contemporary Lithuanian” should be revised. In the newly prepared dictionary, metrology should be defined as follows: “metrology – the science of measurement.” For several years now, there has been discussion about the use of the terms value and meaning [7–9]. In the Lithuanian standard [2], the value of a physical quantity is defined as the numerical expression of a physical quantity in selected units. Part 0 of the Lithuanian standard LST ISO 31 “Quantities and units” states: value – the product of a unit of a quantity and a number; such a number is called the “numerical value of the quantity expressed in this unit.” In the dictionary [3], the value of a quantity (English value of a quantity, French valeur d’une grandeur) is defined as “the quantitative expression of a particular individual quantity, generally composed of a unit of measurement multiplied by a number.” Thus, specialized metrology publications explain what the value of a quantity is; we could briefly define it as follows: the value of a quantity – that quantity’s 48 numerical expression in selected units. Since the “Dictionary of Contemporary Lithuanian” [1], in explaining the word value, does not discuss the value of a quantity, we suggest supplementing the meanings of this word with the very important metrology term used in physics, technology, and other fields, value of a quantity, and adopting the definition we propose. The use of the term meaning is discussed in [7]. The use of a Lithuanian equivalent for the English and French words reference and référence must also be discussed. In standard [2], the Lithuanian equivalent of the English term reference material and the French term matériau de référence is etaloninė terpė [reference medium]. Thus, the English word reference and the French word référence are translated by the Lithuanian adjective etaloninis (-ė) [reference/standard]. If the principle of consistency is followed, the Lithuanian equivalent of the English and French terms reference standard (English) and étalon de référence (French), defined as “a measure, measuring instrument, reference material or measuring system intended to define, realize, preserve or reproduce a unit of a quantity or one or more of its values as a reference”[3], would be etaloninis etalonas [reference standard] (?). It should be noted that in none of the languages—English, French, German, or Russian—does the compound term reference material (English), matériau de référence (French), Referenzmaterial (German), стандартное вещество (Russian) contains the word etalonas [standard]. In metrology, etalonas [standard] is a special concept and should be used only in its designated sense. In the “International Vocabulary of Basic and General Terms in Metrology,” currently being prepared, the Lithuanian equivalent provided for English reference material and French matériau de référence is pamatinė medžiaga [reference material], not etaloninė terpė [reference medium]. The term etaloninė medžiaga [reference material] is also used in other standards [10–12]. They also use expressions such as etaloninis metodas, etaloninė terpė, etaloninis tirpalas, darbinis etaloninis tirpalas, etaloninės medžiagos mėginys, pirminė (antrinė) etaloninė medžiaga, etaloninės medžiagos charakteristika [reference method, reference medium, reference solution, working reference solution, reference material sample, primary (secondary) reference material, reference material characteristic], whereas they should use pamatinis metodas, pamatinė medžiaga, pamatinis tirpalas, darbinis pamatinis tirpalas, pamatinės medžiagos (terpės) mėginys, pirminė (antrinė) pamatinė medžiaga (terpė), pamatinės medžiagos parametrai [reference method, reference material, reference solution, working reference solution, reference material (medium) sample, primary (secondary) reference material (medium), reference material parameters], and so on. 49 Another term that uses the words reference (English) and référence (French) is reference standard (English) and étalon de référence (French). In the forthcoming “International Vocabulary of Basic and General Terms in Metrology,” its equivalent is pamatinis etalonas. It has been proposed that it be called atraminis etalonas. So, should it be “supporting” or “fundamental”? Atrama (support) is a prop, an object that s u p p o r t s s o m e t h i n g, whereas pamatas (foundation) is a place or object on which something i s b a s e d [1]. The standard in question is “a standard that generally has the best metrological properties at a given location or in a given organization where measurements are made.” It is essential, most important, the principal standard, o n w h i c h all other subordinate standards depend. Thus, without a doubt, reference standard (English) and étalon de référence (French) should be called not atraminis etalonas, but pamatinis etalonas (cf. pamatinis dėsnis [1], pamatiniai filosofijos klausimai [13], pamatinis žodis or darybos pamatas (in linguistics), etc.). Based on the definition, the standard mentioned could be called a pagrindinis etalonas (principal standard), but the standards system also includes a pirminis etalonas (primary standard), “a standard recognized or widely acknowledged as having the best metrological properties, whose value is determined without reference to other standards of the same quantity.” Thus, the names of two standards with different levels of hierarchy would be liable to be confused. In our opinion, there are also issues that need correction in state documents. For example, the term valstybės etalonas (state standard) is used in the “Law on Metrology” (I-1452). Other known terms include masės etalonas, laiko etalonas, dažnio etalonas (mass standard, time standard, frequency standard), etc. A different document has now been prepared by the Department of Standardization and approved by Resolution No. 518 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania (1997 05 27); it already provides for a valstybės etalono saugotoją (custodian of the state standard). The current standard [2] gives a better term, valstybinis etalonas (a state-owned standard; the adjective valstybinis denotes the type of standard), which, for some reason, the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the Government, and the Lithuanian Standards Department do not use. Such an unjustified change to the name of the standard disrupts the system of standard terminology; cf. tarptautinis etalonas, pirminis etalonas, antrinis etalonas, darbinis etalonas, tarpinis etalonas, pamatinis etalonas. (international standard, primary standard, secondary standard, working standard, transfer standard, reference standard). 50 The use of the term kalibravimas (calibration) in documents should be discussed very carefully. The term kalibravimas is defined as follows: a set of operations which, under specified conditions, establishes the relationship between the values indicated by a measuring instrument or measuring system, or the values represented by a measure or reference material, and the corresponding values realized by standards [3]. Standard [2] gives the following terms: kalibravimas, calibration (English), étalonnage (French). In view of the definition and on the basis of French, it would be much more logical to use the term etalonavimas (standardization/standard calibration; cf. French étalonnage) instead of kalibravimas. This would help avoid misunderstandings both when explaining this term and when applying the procedure described in the definition. Doubts also arise about the use of the term matavimo vienovė (measurement uniformity). In the “Law on Metrology” (I-1452) and the current standard [2], this term is defined as follows: A characteristic of the quality of measurements whereby their results are expressed in legally recognized units, the errors are known with the required probability, and do not exceed specified limits. Meanwhile, the vocabulary [3] gives (cf. English traceability, French traçabilité): A property of a measurement result or a standard that allows it to be related to reference values, usually national or international standards, through an unbroken chain of comparisons, each with a stated uncertainty. Nouns have been formed from the English and French adjectives, cf. English traceable, French traçable, cf. English traceability, French traçabilité; in Lithuanian these are translated by the noun phrase matavimų vienovė (uniformity of measurements), which has no adjectival form. Thus, traceable (English) and traçable (French) have no Lithuanian equivalent. This causes many difficulties when translating various documents into Lithuanian. In vocabulary [3], as a Lithuanian equivalent for the term English traceability, French traçabilité, we would suggest the word sietis (cf. the word imtis from the word imti (to take), and correspondingly: jungtis (connection) from jungti (to connect), sudėtis (composition) from sudėti (to compose), baigtis (ending) from baigti (to end), šlytis (contact) from šlyti (to touch), and so on). Then the English and French words traceable (English) and traçable (French) would correspond to the participle susietas (linked), which is used just like an adjective. These are just a few metrology terms whose usage in Lithuanian has not yet become established. There are many more. We believe that other specialists in metrology will also express their opinions. 51 Literatūra 1. Dabartinės lietuvių kalbos žodynas. V., 1983. 2. LST 1281-93. Metrologija. Terminai ir apibrėžimai. 3. International Vocabulary of Basic and General Terms in Metrology. Geneva, 1993. P59. 4. Tarptautinių žodžių žodynas. V., 1985. 5. Lietuviškoji tarybinė enciklopedija. V., 1981.T. 7. P. 447. 6. Tarptautinė standartų klasifikacija, 1997 (Lietuvos standartizacijos departamento leidinys). 7. Ušpalis K. Matematikos terminų žodyno sulaukus // Terminologija. V., 1995. Kn. 2. P. 27-31. 8. Zajankauskas S. Dėl kai kurių bendrųjų technikos terminų // Terminologija. V., 1996. Kn. 2. P. 65-69. 9. Žebrauskas S. Kai kurių elektrotechnikos terminų vartosenos sunkumai // Terminologija ir dabartis (Mokslo darbai). K., 1997. P. 216-221. 10. LST 1320:1993. Kokybės užtikrinimas laboratorinėje medicinoje. Pagrindiniai terminai ir apibrėžimai. 11. LST 1386:1995. Cheminė analizė. Terminai ir apibrėžimai. 12. LST 1435:1996. Etaloninės medžiagos ir sertifikuotos etaloninės medžiagos. 13. Šliogeris A. Transcendencijos tyla. V., 1996. 52 SUMMARIES OF THE MAIN PAPERS Kazimieras Gaivenis. Terminisation and de-terminisation. This article analyses two processes: the turning of words into terms and the turning of terms into simple words. The former often changes the grammatical and lexical character of words: valency, relations of synonymy and antonymy. For example, a word of standard language druska (salt) does not have a plural, but in chemistry the plural druskos is used to name a class of chemical compounds. The antonym of the standard language word šiluma (heat) is the word šaltis (cold), but the term of physics šiluma does not have an antonym, because as a concept “šaltis” does not exist in physics. In some fields of science (botany, zoology, cattle-breading, meteorology) the creation of terms using terminologisation is a frequent occurrence. In other fields (chemistry, computer science, astronomy) it happens quite rarely. There have to be certain conditions for terms to turn into standard language words. First of all a term has to be widespread and well known not only to specialists. Most often it happens to terms of physics and engineering (e.g. kalibras (calibre), spektras (spectrum), aparatas (apparatus), impulsas (pulse, impulse), etc.). Stasys Keinys. The penetrating suffix of adjectives -inis, -ė It is stated in this paper that the number of adjectives with the suffix -inis, -ė in Lithuanian increased considerably in the 20th century. They took the place of adjectives with the suffix -iškas, -a which were frequently corrected by linguists and they also push cases out of usage. Such activity of these suffixes is kept up and often stimulated by foreign languages (especially Slavonic and Germanic). This statement is supported by the analysis of terms and combinations of words such as konstitucinė pataisa (amendment to the Constitution), autorinės teisės (copyright), prezidentiniai rinkimai (presidential elections), etc. 53 Jonas Klimavičius. Sirgalius, aistruolis, mėgėjas, fanas (fan). This paper deals with usage of four sporting synonyms (sirgalius, aistruolis, mėgėjas, fanas) in standard language and terminology. All of these synonyms name one concept – “sports fan”. The spreading of these words in dialects and writings is reviewed and their semantics is analysed. It is stated that attempts to push the word sirgalius out of usage were unsuccessful. The usage of the word aistruolis is not settled yet. The word mėgėjas is suitable to name a person who is interested in sports and likes it, although fanas names only a sports fan who thinks positively about himself. It is suggested not to use this word. None of these words are strictly standardised. Vilius Palenskis, Vytautas Valiukėnas, Valerijonas Žalkauskas. On terms of darbas (work), veikimas (operation), veika (action) and veiksena (operating mode). This paper discusses the usage of Lithuanian terms darbas, veikimas, veika, poveikis and their relations with English (work, working, operation, action), French (travail, fonctionnement, action), German (Arbeit, Betrieb, Wirkung, Einwirkung), Russian (работа, функционирование, действие, воздействие) terms. Their preciseness and correctness are also discussed. For example, to emphasise the functioning of some device or equipment, the Lithuanian term veikimasshould be used, not darbas. It is suggested to use the Lithuanian term veika as an equivalent of the English term actionto describe the effect of one object or its part on another one. Antanas Buračas. Economic information and problematic aspects of terminology. In this paper, terms of the Lithuanian translation of Christopher Pass, Bryan Lowes and Leslie Davies “Dictionary of economics” (London, 1988) are discussed. The author touched upon some general 54 questions of formation of terminology, selection of borrowings and usage of professional jargon. In this translation, consistency of terms is not always observed, e.g. the English term permanent income has the Lithuanian equivalent nuolatinės pajamos, but economists normally use the term pastoviosios pajamos. Specific terms are not always properly laid out, e.g. the term akcijomis išmokamas dividendas (stock dividend) is given by the term akcija (share), not by dividendas (dividend). Vytautas Valiukėnas, Pranas Juozas Žilinskas. About some Lithuanian terms of metrology. The article deals with the problems of translation into Lithuanian used in metrology. The standardisation, consistency and coherence and harmonisation of terms in different languages is accentuated. Some terms, i.e. metrology, value, reference material, reference standard, national standard, traceability and traceable are analysed and corresponding terms and definitions in Lithuanian are suggested. 55