Overview
ISO 20539:2023 - Translation, interpreting and related technology - Vocabulary is the second edition of an ISO International Standard that defines standardized terms and concepts used across translation, interpreting and related technology standards. Rather than prescribing processes or performance limits, ISO 20539:2023 provides an authoritative vocabulary to ensure consistent language in standards, specifications, contracts, training and software documentation for the language industry.
Key topics (technical scope and structure)
- Purpose and scope
- Defines terms for International Standards on translation, interpreting and related technology.
- Contains no normative references; focuses on terminology and concept definitions.
- Document structure
- Organized into thematic groups: key concepts, concepts common to translation and interpreting, concepts relating to translation, interpreting and technology.
- Terminology entries follow ISO 10241-1 editorial rules and grouping principles from ISO 1087.
- Core terms provided
- Key concepts: language, content, source language, target language, signed language, translate/interpret, translator/interpreter.
- Common concepts: domain, language register, language proficiency, competence, qualification, continuing professional development (CPD), authorization, client/end user.
- Translation-specific: text, document, translation output, translation service, translation service provider (TSP), translation workflow, review, revision, proofreading, project and project management, correction/corrective action, verification, style guide, localization (locale, locale convention).
- Interpreting-specific: spoken/signed language interpreting, speaker/signer, working languages classified as A/B/C, interpreting modes (simultaneous, consecutive, whispered/chuchotage), note-taking technique.
- Technology-related: entries are split into translation technology and interpreting technology (terminology for tooling and technology concepts relevant to both domains).
- Supportive materials
- Includes a bibliography and an alphabetical index of terms for easy lookup.
Practical applications and who uses ISO 20539:2023
- Language service providers (LSPs) and translation service providers (TSPs) use the vocabulary to standardize bids, contracts, SLAs and workflow documentation.
- Project managers and localization engineers adopt consistent terms for workflow, quality checks and toolchains.
- Interpreters, translators, trainers and certification bodies rely on the definitions for curricula, accreditation and performance frameworks.
- Software developers and product teams building translation/interpreting tools benefit from consistent metadata and API terminology.
- Legal, healthcare and public-sector organizations use the standard to clarify roles (e.g., authorized legal translator) and service requirements in procurement and compliance documents.
- Standards writers and policy makers reference ISO 20539:2023 to align terminology across related ISO standards.
Related standards and resources
- Prepared by ISO/TC 37/SC 5 (Language and terminology - translation, interpreting and related technology).
- Linked references within the document include ISO 10241-1, ISO 1087, ISO/TR 20694, ISO/IEC 17024 and ISO 9000 where terminology or editorial practice is cited.
- Terminology databases: ISO Online Browsing Platform (OBP) and IEC Electropedia.
Using ISO 20539:2023 helps organizations, practitioners and tool vendors achieve clarity, reduce ambiguity and improve interoperability across translation, interpreting and technology ecosystems.
