Eurodicautom 2 - The European terminology database rides again
Good news for translators.
The European Union has opened IATE to the public.
It offers access to the term databases compiled over the years by the European institutions and is a valuable resource.
However, it should no be taken as a source of absolute truths. I know this because way back in the late 1980s, I was given the job of researching about 100 terms for what was then Eurodicautom. The job was outsourced from a company under contract to the EU. If I remember correctly, the terms referred to road construction.
I was attracted by the high rate they offered per word. I had no idea how much research work would be involved. This was pre-internet, so research meant legging it to a library, finding people who knew the subject and picking their brains, ... In the end, the “juicy” price turned out to be a pittance for the work actually involved. I did my best, but I would not swear by all of the terms I contributed.
So, while welcoming IATE and the fact that it is accessible to the world, caveat translator.
