BIOTECHNOLOGY TERMINOLOGY IN KAZAKH: HISTORICAL STRATA, EDUCATIONAL USE AND STANDARDIZATION ISSUES

Abstract

This article examines the formation and contemporary use of Kazakh biotechnology terminology in educational and scientific contexts through historical-lexicographic, comparative and frequency analysis. The study aims to identify the stages at which biotechnology terms became established in Kazakh scientific language, describe the composition of the terminology used in teaching materials, and propose approaches to standardizing variant terms and definitions. The research draws on records of subject-specific terminology from the Alash period, biological and medical terminographic materials, fourteen biotechnology textbooks and teaching resources, a trilingual terminological dictionary containing 485 entries, and subject-specific terminology resources. The compiled corpus register contains 1,422 term records and 115 abbreviation records, yielding 1,537 source-level records. Of the terms identified, 206 occur in at least two sources; including abbreviations, the number of recurrent units is 237. Frequency analysis identifies vector, clone, gene, genome, hybridoma, in vitro, in vivo, biotransformation, cloning, mutation and plasmid as core terms. The analysis also reveals competing forms, including клетка/жасуша/торша ‘cell’, ұлпа/тін ‘tissue’, ақуыз/нәруыз ‘protein’ and гибрид/будан ‘hybrid’, alongside inconsistencies in definitions. The findings indicate a need for concept-oriented organization of Kazakh biotechnology terminology, consistent coordination of term–definition–abbreviation–trilingual-equivalent relationships, and the development of a specialized electronic termbase.