Особливості використання військових термінів у технічних текстах ( на основі інструкцій до військової техніки)

Abstract

Technical texts play a vital role in modern communication, as they ensure the accurate and consistent transmission of specialized information in areas where precision is critical. Their logical structure, standardized format, and terminological clarity make them an important object of linguistic research. With the continuous development of advanced technologies, technical documentation is becoming more complex, which increases the need for careful analysis of its language and the principles underlying its construction. The rapid growth of military technologies and the integration of high-tech systems into contemporary armed forces further reinforce the importance of examining the language used in military documentation. Military manuals represent a specific type of technical text in which accuracy, unambiguity, and structural coherence directly affect operational safety and effectiveness. Even minor inaccuracies in terminology can result in misinterpretation and operational errors. Therefore, examining the lexical-semantic and functional characteristics of military terminology in technical manuals becomes essential for understanding how such terms operate within military-technical discourse and for ensuring their accurate interpretation and practical application. The object of the study is English-language technical manuals for military equipment. The subject of the study is military terms and the specifics of their functioning in technical texts. The aim of the research is to analyse the lexical-semantic and functional characteristics of military terms in military equipment manuals and to identify patterns of their use within the structure of military-technical discourse. To achieve this aim, the following research tasks were set: – to examine the functional and stylistic specificity of technical texts; – to characterize military manuals as a special type of technical text; – to summarize existing approaches to defining and classifying military terms; – to analyse a representative corpus of military manuals, identifying their type, functional purpose, structure, and linguistic features; – to conduct a content analysis of the functioning of military terms in the selected manuals. The research material consists of two military manuals: Operator’s Manual: Launching Station M901 – Patriot Air Defense Guided Missile System and FM 3-01 U.S. Army Air and Missile Defense Operations. The methodological framework combines several complementary methods: the descriptive method for identifying and systematizing terms; structural-semantic analysis for examining internal structure, word-formation patterns, and semantics; the method of classification for grouping terms according to semantic and functional criteria; contextual analysis for identifying the specifics of term usage in authentic military manuals; and corpus analysis for tracing patterns of terminological functioning across the documents.

Scientific novelty lies in the comprehensive approach to analysing military terminology in technical manuals, which makes it possible to describe its semantic and functional specificity. Practical significance is determined by the potential application of the results in further studies of military-technical terminology, the compilation of specialized dictionaries and reference materials, and the development of educational courses focused on specialized technical texts. Approbation of the research. The key findings were presented at the XV All- Ukrainian Student Scientific and Practical Conference ―Translation Innovations‖ (Sumy, Sumy State University, 25 November 2025), where a conference abstract titled ―Rendering of Military Terminology in English-Ukrainian Translation of Technical Texts‖ was published. Structure of the work. The thesis consists of an introduction, two chapters, conclusions, a list of references, and a summary. The introduction outlines the relevance of the topic, defines the object, subject, aim, tasks, scientific novelty, practical value, and methodology. The first chapter provides a theoretical background on the functioning of technical texts and military terminology. The second chapter contains a practical analysis of military terms in two types of manuals – technical and operational-tactical – followed by their classification and contextual interpretation. The conclusions summarize the main findings of the research. The total volume of the thesis is 93 pages, including 83 pages of the main text and 63 bibliographic entries.