SECURITY-RELATED TERMS IN CHEMICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL DISCOURCE: TRANSLATION-FOCUSED APPROACH

Abstract

The article examines linguistic and translation-related features of security-related terminology in chemical and radiological discourse. The study focuses on English terms denoting threat, risk, and preventive actions that form an essential component of professional communication in international safety and emergency-response contexts. This terminology is characterized by high semantic density and functional variability, which complicates accurate translation and terminological consistency in an interdisciplinary environment. The study aims to identify and systematize the main translation strategies for chemical and radiological terminology by analyzing their semantic and functional specificity, with a particular emphasis on the notional distinction between “safety” and “security” in specialized sources. The research data includes authoritative English glossaries and terminological resources of international regulatory practice, including the IAEA Safety Glossary (2022 Edition) and practical training guidelines such as the University of Michigan’s Chemical Safety Training Course. Particular attention is paid to definitions, contextual usage, and domain-specific features of these sources, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the notional and functional boundaries of safety and security terminology. The methodological framework combines semantic and contrastive analysis with descriptive translation studies. The study examines the transfer of key notions related to hazard assessment and preventive measures through terminological equivalence, modulation, explicitation, and descriptive translation in order to overcome semantic asymmetry between languages. The results indicate that translation of security-related terminology requires not only linguistic competence but also an understanding of the cognitive and semantic foundations of safety discourse. The findings emphasize the relevance of a strategic approach to terminology translation, ensuring accuracy, functional adequacy, and terminological consistency. The study contributes to translation-oriented terminological research and may be useful for translators, researchers, and students working with specialized safety and emergency-response texts.