Terminology and Standards – ISO 704, ISO 1087 & More
Professional terminology work follows clear methodological principles. International and national standards define how concepts are systematically analysed, described and related to each other. They establish a shared understanding of what a concept is, how it is defined, and how linguistic designations are separated from it.
These standards form a methodological framework that ensures terminology work is based on transparent and reproducible rules rather than individual intuition.
This page provides a structured overview of the most important terminology standards and explains their respective roles and how they interact.
Types of terminology standards
Terminology standards can broadly be grouped into different categories:
- Methodological and foundational standards (e.g. ISO 704)
- Conceptual and definitional standards (e.g. ISO 1087)
- Harmonisation standards (e.g. ISO 860)
- National supplementary standards (e.g. DIN 2330, DIN 2342)
- Structural and classification standards (e.g. IEC 61355)
ISO 704 – Principles of terminology work
The standard ISO 704 defines the methodological foundations of professional terminology work. It specifies how concepts are analysed, distinguished from each other and systematically described.
A core principle of ISO 704 is the clear distinction between concept and designation. A concept is defined by its characteristics, independently of the linguistic terms used to denote it.
ISO 704 therefore provides the basis for consistent terminology systems, regardless of whether they are implemented in spreadsheets, databases or specialised terminology tools.
Further reading: The semiotic triangle – term, concept and object
ISO 1087 – Terminological concepts
While ISO 704 describes the methodological approach, ISO 1087 defines the terminological concepts themselves. It serves as a conceptual reference framework for terminology work.
ISO 1087 clarifies, among others, the following concepts:
- Concept and object
- Designation, term and appellation
- Definition and characteristic
The standard ensures that terminology work itself remains terminologically consistent and that all stakeholders refer to the same concepts when discussing terminology, regardless of domain or language.
ISO 860 – Harmonisation of concept systems
ISO 860 addresses the harmonisation of terminologies. It becomes relevant whenever different concept systems need to be aligned or merged.
Typical scenarios include historically evolved terminologies, parallel domain-specific vocabularies or the integration of multiple systems within an organisation.
DIN 2330 and DIN 2342 – German terminology standards
The standards DIN 2330 and DIN 2342 represent national supplements, particularly in German-speaking contexts. They address aspects such as definition types and the formation of specialised designations.
In practice, they are often applied in conjunction with international ISO standards.
IEC 61355 – Structuring and classification of documents
The standard IEC 61355 does not directly regulate terminology work, but focuses on the structured classification of technical documents.
It becomes relevant wherever terminology, documentation structure and information organisation intersect and need to be aligned.
How the standards interact
In practice, these standards do not operate in isolation, but as an interconnected methodological framework:
- ISO 704 defines the methodological approach
- ISO 1087 provides the conceptual foundation
- ISO 860 supports the alignment of multiple systems
- DIN standards supplement national requirements
- IEC 61355 establishes structural context
Related topics
- Getting started with terminology management
- Terminology and knowledge management
- Multilingual terminology and translation management
Conclusion
Terminology standards provide the foundation for consistent, transparent and systematic professional communication. They are not an end in themselves, but a methodological framework for keeping concepts understandable, translatable and maintainable over time.
Terminology systems such as flashterm make these standards tangible in everyday work – from concept definition to multilingual designation management.