Kitajska kraška terminologija (Na izbranih primerih iz tropskega in subtropskega krasa)

Abstract

Poznavanje terminologije v različnih jezikih je potrebno za pravilno podajanje rezultatov znanstvenega dela, za mednarodno sodelovanje strokovnjakov in za prevajanje strokovnih tekstov. Namen članka je predstaviti tipično kitajsko kraško pokrajino in razložiti termine, ki jih uporabljajo. čeprav se kraško raziskovanje na Kitajskem razvija ločeno od krasoslovja na Zahodu, se v mednarodni kraški terminologiji postopoma uveljavljajo izrazi kitajskega izvora, kot so fengcong, fenglin, shilin in drugi. Vprašanje, kako z vnašanjem novih izrazov v ožjo strokovno javnost, kjer so že uveljavljeni stari termini, ostaja vedno odprto. Včasih je to potrebno, ker ima nov izraz tudi nekoliko obogaten pomen, oziroma združuje več informacij in izboljšuje razumevanje. O primernosti take odločitve naj presodijo nadaljnje razprave, ki morajo izhajati iz poznavanja problema in ne iz sentimentalnosti do izrazov, če so ti imeli do sedaj bolj splošen pomen.  Good knowledge of terminology in different languages is indispensable to be able to present correctly the results of scientific work, for international cooperation of experts and for translating professional texts. Purpose of the present article is to represent the typical Chinese karst landscape and to explain the terms used in the country. Although karst researches in China are carried out separately from the karst-sciences of western countries, terms such as fengcong, fenglin, shilin are enforcing gradually into international karst terminology. Question how to introduce new terms into narrower professional public sphere with old terms already established, is still remaining open. Sometimes this is necessary since a new term is of somehow enriched meaning or is gathering more information and improving the understanding. Appropriateness of such decision should be estimated by further discussions, which should be based upon familiarity with the problem and not upon the sentimentality towards the terms, if these have born more general meaning up to this time.