The variation in terminologies from the cognitiva perspective: the case of fauna and flora

Abstract

The turn of the century brings into focus the consensus that terminologies reflect the dynamism and complexity involved in the conceptual system structure, as well as the conceptualization particularities associated with language, culture and the socio-professional groups.The idea that specialized lexical units are linguistic signs and, therefore, component part of the lexicon of a natural language implies the recognition that such items are subject to the same factors that operate in words formation process that permeate everyday speeches (CABRÉ, 1999). This study addresses the terminology of fauna (Zoology - Vertebrates) and flora (Botany - Angiosperms), whose data derive from previous research (MARTINS, 2013; 2017) in which the denomination of approximately two hundred species were examined in Portuguese, in English and in Italian. In fact, in this area of knowledge, parallel to scientific names coexist semi scientific names, adapted to the vernacular language, and vernacular forms, that is, common names that vary according to the languages and that represent the vocabulary richness of each culture (GARRIDO, 2000). With regard to the last ones, they are considered here as denominative variants (FREIXA, 2002; 2005). According to the Communicative Theory of Terminology (CABRÉ, 1999), the variation phenomenon is one of the inherent principles of terms analysis. In short, the formation of the terminology in question reveals the different perspectives to which animals and plants may be subjected. This variety of viewpoints result from human inner factors, that is, psycho-cognitive mechanisms, and contribute to the notion of denominative variation with cognitive consequences (CABRÉ, 2003;2008; FERNÁNDEZ-SILVA, 2010; 2013).