Linguistic terminological systems in international tourism

The process of globalization in the digital age is characterized by information flows and the development of international relations. There is therefore a tendency of growing interest in tourism and the business of international tourism. Increasing numbers of travelers require information about new destinations and experiences. There are many touristic organizations providing such services, spreading ever-wider across the world, and therefore the touristic offers include new parts of the world space [8].

Tourism can generally be classified according to destination; domestic or international. Domestic tourism is obviously any activity aimed at travelling within a country. International tourism can be defined as the targeted and systematic activity of touristic organizations providing goods and services transnationally. It is one of the most important sectors of international economy and has the following characteristics:

1) is based on the exchange of goods and services;

2) provides touristic services which are not mobile and subject to keeping;

3) has no flexibility regarding the proposal [9].

International tourism plays a role of a phenomenon reflecting social, economic and international relations. About one billion people annually go abroad for tourism purposes, making international tourism one of the most popular leisure activities globally [2].

The development dynamics of this sphere is related to improvement of tactics and communication strategies and usage of different linguistic means contributing to the promotion of touristic products. This process has become the subject of many linguistic studies, both in Russia and elsewhere across the globe [8]. Such an international economic and social phenomenon which has become both lucrative and dynamic demands the study of its professional terminology and terminological system. To date there has been precious little such scientific research, possibly related to the fact that mass tourism only began in the last century [4].

The international tourism industry is rapidly growing. This fact is highlighted by tourism terminology infiltrating languages globally and becoming a part of everyday speech. The main source of term formation in tourism-related Russian language is commonly-used English language lexis [10]. A review of the relevant terminology literature shows that it developed from the process of scientific understanding and criteria formation by which it becomes possible to borrow language units into the terminology lexis. The research in the field of terminology, defined as a dynamic language system, has a historic nature, as it focuses on its development through time and reflects the ways of thinking of different eras. According to S. V. Grinev-Grinevich, the notion of terminology has three different definitions:

1) the science which studies terms;

2) the terminology of a certain language;

In other words, terminology is a historically formed set of terms related to a certain field of knowledge. The current state of play in the field of linguistics finds terminology to be a leading course of study.

Another interesting issue is terminological systems, which, according to V. M. Leychik, are understood as a conscious constructing and ordering of specially selected units functioning as terms. The distinctive features of a terminological system are: 1) integrity; 2) coherence; 3) structure; 4) sustainability [6]. L. A. Manerko describes a terminological system as a deliberately developed set of terms, identified using conceptualized and categorized information on the base of terminology and discourse requirements. The researcher states that a terminological system and terminology don’t need to be treated equally, because terminological systems are directly related to the classifying human activity, which is aimed at sorting of relations between terms and their notions, whereas terminology is related to the structural activity within the nominative process [7].

A terminological system is characterized by the fixation of terminological relations which, in their turn, act as reflectors of relations between the notions named by terms. It is a multidimensional area of language which has some difficulties. A terminological system is based on the fact that terminologies related to different fields of knowledge are constantly changing both in qualitative and quantitative ways. Information flows mean a constant cycle of change with outdated terms being replaced by others which more precisely clarify meanings or denote new concepts [12]. This is important as a major function of terminological systems is to denote concepts forming a certain scientific view of the world [3].

Research aimed at the studying of tourism terminology is primarily related to the dynamic and rapidly developments in international tourism. Relations between native and foreign experts are to a great extent defined by the ability of both to communicate using tourism terminology. Russian travelers therefore have to gain an understanding of such touristic terms [11].

At the time of writing, terminology is a key element of modern communication and an integral instrument of study of certain fields of knowledge [10]. More and more new concepts are coming into common linguistic use and are demanding integration into terminological systems and arrangements [1]. How enthusiastically we respond to these linguistic changes will greatly affect our ability to participate in the globalized world of the future.

References:

1. Briginevich V. E. (2013). The main ways of terms formation belonging to the terminological system “mountaineering” (on the base of English language). Philological sciences. Theory and practice issues, Tambov. Vol. 2, no. 7, pp. 42–47.
2. Buylenko V. F. Tourism. (2008). Rostov-on-Don, 416 p.
3. Bugaenko N. P., Ioakimidis G. A. (2013). Substantive characteristic and thematic differentiation of terminology lexis (on the example of English show business terminology). Lingua mobilis, no. 1(40), pp. 34–39.
4. Denisova G. G., Drozd A. F., Romanovich R. G. (2011). Tourism terminology in the sociolinguistic and translation aspects. Theses of the International Relations Department: the collection of scientific articles, BSU, 160 p.
5. Grinev-Grinevich S. V. (2008). Terminology studies. M.: Publishing center “Akademiya”, 304 p.
6. Leychik V. M. (2007). Terminology studies: subject, methods, structure. M.: Publishing house “LKI”, 256 p.
7. Manerko L. A. (2009). The notion “terminological system” in the current terminology studies. M.: Publishing house “Vestnik MRSU”, pp. 207–221.
8. Nagorny I. A., Shevtsov V. A. (2013). Rational type of speech tactics in the tourism discourse. Scientific statements of Belgorod State University, no. 6, pp. 13–19.
9. Pisarevskiy E. L. (2014). Tourism basis. M., Federal Agency for Tourism, 384 p.
10. Sharafutdinova K. S. (2016). Internet comment as the base of translation thesaurus (tourism discourse). VolSU Vestnik: studies of young scientists, no. 14, pp. 208–212.
11. Vinogradova L. V. (2009). Russian tourism terminology: structure characteristic. NSU Vestnik, no. 52, pp. 27–30.
12. Volgina M.Yu. (2013). The translation of terms as key units of the specific text. Prospects for science and education, no. 6, pp. 170–175.