Andrea Bernardis, Federica Vezzani, Giorgio Maria Di Nunzio

Pour une simplification de la terminologie médicale multilingue : le cas du projet ExaMode

Introduction

Pour une simplification de la terminologie médicale multilingue : le cas du projet examode. Le projet ExaMode simplifie la terminologie médicale multilingue (italien, français). Méthodes pour rendre rapports médicaux et traduction plus accessibles aux non-experts.

Abstract

Several studies have highlighted the complexity of medical language, which can prevent non-experts from understanding it, and the need to overcome this problem by developing a simplified variety of this language. This contribution aims to describe the simplification attempt that we carried out within the framework of the European research project ExaMode. In this article we analyze the terminological work that we conducted based on the study of authentic medical reports in Italian on four pathologies. The first step was to extract the terminology contained in these reports, followed by the collection of terminological data and the identification of the simplified variants of the different terms. We then describe the three simplification methods that we applied to the terms extracted from our corpus, namely substitution with a popular equivalent, decomposition by definition and hyperonym juxtaposition. Since the simplification of medical language can also be of interest for specialised translation, when the information is transmitted in a multilingual context, we applied the three simplification methods not only to Italian terms, but also to their French equivalents. Moreover, we collected all these data in bilingual terminology records organised according to the model of the multilingual and multifunctional resource TriMED. We then show the results of our whole study through a series of examples and emphasise the need to maintain coherence in the simplification choices of semantically related terms, so as to enhance comprehension even more. Finally, we emphasize the need to continue to enrich our data collection and to test our simplification suggestions to evaluate their effectiveness and make possible improvements.

Review

The proposed article addresses a highly pertinent and complex issue: the simplification of multilingual medical terminology. The abstract clearly articulates the long-standing challenge of medical language accessibility for non-experts, positioning the work within a critical need for enhanced communication. The contribution aims to describe a concrete simplification attempt undertaken within the European research project ExaMode, which is a valuable practical application of linguistic principles to a real-world problem. This focus on practical implementation and the potential to bridge the gap between specialized medical discourse and general comprehension makes the study particularly relevant and timely. The methodology outlined appears systematic and well-structured. The authors detail a process beginning with the extraction of terminology from authentic Italian medical reports on specific pathologies, followed by the collection of terminological data and the identification of simplified variants. A key strength lies in the explicit description of three distinct simplification methods applied: substitution with a popular equivalent, decomposition by definition, and hyperonym juxtaposition. Crucially, the abstract highlights the multilingual dimension, extending these methods to French equivalents and organizing the data into bilingual terminology records based on the TriMED model. The presentation of results through examples and the emphasis on maintaining coherence in simplification choices across semantically related terms demonstrate a thoughtful approach to the practical challenges of such an endeavor. This study presents a commendable initial step towards creating a more accessible medical lexicon in a multilingual context. Its systematic approach to identifying and simplifying terms, coupled with the consideration of both Italian and French, offers a robust framework. While the abstract mentions showing "results through a series of examples," it also appropriately identifies the need for continued data enrichment and, crucially, for testing the effectiveness of the simplification suggestions. This forward-looking perspective acknowledges that while the foundational work and methodological development are strong, empirical validation and broader application are necessary next steps. The project's contributions are significant for specialized translation and medical communication, laying important groundwork for future developments in making complex medical information more widely understandable.

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