The terminological principle of economy

Abstract

Abstract The terminological principle of economy is a fundamental terminological principle. It specifies that a term should be as short as possible, containing only as many words as necessary to still adequately designate a concept. It is generally accepted that one-word terms are inherently economical, but the question is in which cases multiword terms can also still be considered economical. This was examined in a study that looked at all 640 terminological questions and answers covered by the Slovenian Terminology Consulting Service on the Terminologišče website from 2013, when it started operating, to the end of 2024. The study showed that terms consistent with the terminological principle of economy do not necessarily designate a concept in an extremely short form, but they do always designate it in a concise form. Hence, they can effectively perform their primary function: to facilitate effective communication among experts.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Terminology International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Issues in Specialized Communication, 2026 · DOI ↗