ONOMANTICS AND TERMINOLOGY .4. NEOLOGISMS, NEOTERISMS, META-TERMS, PHRASES, AND PLEONISMS HOLLY

Parts I to III of this series have examined the terminology of Termino logy by contrast with the vocabulary of Onomantics and identified some of the differences and difficulties revealed by a close study of ISO- 1087, the most important glossary for terminologists. Parr IV, finally , offers a speculative explanation of these problems. My central hypot hesis is that all aversion to neologisms - especially newly coined wor ds - impedes the introduction and acceptance of new concepts. The pres sure for standardization of terminology compounds this difficulty. The re are three kinds of neologisms: 1. newly coined words (neoterisms), 2. phases composed of familiar words (phrasal tags) and 3. familiar wo rds for which new meanings have been stipulated (meta-terms). Neologis ms in the form of phrases containing familiar words are often found in ISO 1087. Some perplexing ambiguities in ISO 1087 occur when new mean ings are stipulated. for familiar words, creating terminological metap hors (''meta-terms'') that are often obscure. Such meta-terms abound i n the terminology of Terminology. Increased willingness to accept well -formed new words (neoterisms) would greatly simplify the development of a more adequate terminology for Terminology. The use of pleonasms i s recommended as a technique to overcome ambiguity by linking familiar words having new meanings (meta-terms) to new words for the same conc epts (neoterisms) and as a simple way to facilitate the introduction o f such neoterisms.