Teaduskeeltes

Teaduskeeltes refers to the languages used in the communication of science, including specialized vocabulary, notation, and style that enable precise and unambiguous description of phenomena, methods, and results. The term is used to speak about the set of languages and the terminologies that scientists use within disciplines, across publications, presentations, and educational materials. In practice, teaduskeeltes encompasses not only the Estonian language but also the global lingua franca of science—primarily English—and the processes by which terms are created, adapted, translated, and standardized.

Components include terminology and glossaries, conventions for notation and units, and style guidelines that govern how research is reported, such as the use of passive voice in some fields and concise expression. A key aim of teaduskeeltes is precision and consistency, to reduce ambiguity and to facilitate cross-border collaboration.

In the Estonian context, there is ongoing work to develop and maintain Estonian scientific terminology. This involves creating equivalent terms for new concepts, translating and adapting foreign terms, and maintaining bilingual dictionaries and glossaries. It also involves aligning with international standards and databases, and balancing the use of original English terms with native Estonian equivalents.

Linguistic work in teaduskeeltes supports education, research, and science communication by making complex ideas accessible to both specialists and the educated public, while also integrating into multilingual research networks. Challenges include rapid growth of new terminology, variation across disciplines, and the need for regular updates. The domain is dynamic, reflecting advances in science, technology, and methods, and depends on collaboration among researchers, translators, publishers, and language planners.