User Guide

Appendix A: Glossary
Term Definition
A
Acronym
In SYSTRAN terminology, a word, all uppercase, formed from the initial letters of
other words or parts of a series of words, such as WAC for Women's Army Corps.
Adjective
A word used to modify a noun by limiting or qualifying. In English, it can be
distinguished by one of several suffixes, such as -able, -ous, -er, and -est,
because it directly precedes a noun or noun phrase, such as red in a red door,
or because it is preceded by a form of to be, such as the door is red.
Adverb
A word that modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, such as brightly in
The sun shines brightly.
Algorithm
A step-by-step problem-solving procedure.
Article
A word used to signal a noun and to specify its application. In English, the
definite article is the, and the indefinite articles are a and an.
Auxiliary verb
A verb, such as have, can, or will, that accompanies the main verb in a clause
and helps to make distinctions in aspect, mood, tense, and voice.
C
Clause
A group of two or more words which contains a verb. One or more clauses make
up a complete sentence.
D
DNT
An acronym for Do Not Translate.
DNT List
A list of words created by the translator that will not be translated by the
SYSTRAN Translation Software.
Do Not Translate
A sequence of words (part of a sentence) that is not to be translated.
Do Not Translate
(DNT) Insertion
A sequence of words within a complete sentence that is not to be translated.
Do Not Translate
(DNT) Paragraph
A part of a document that is not to be translated.
E
Embedded clause
A subordinate clause that is embedded in the middle of a main clause. For
example, The camera, which I bought yesterday, is already broken.
Expression
In SYSTRAN terminology, a noun phrase consisting of more than one noun or
any combination of nouns and adjectives, where the Headword is a noun, such
as lug nut, Library of Congress, and red-letter day. Complete sentences are not
valid SYSTRAN expressions; neither are any phrases that contain verbs.
Expression Dictionary
The SYSTRAN dictionary that contains expressions. See Stem Dictionary.
F
Finite verb
A verb form that is limited in tense, person, and number, such as goes in He
goes.
First person
A pronoun that refers to the speaker. For example, I in I see, or We in We are.
Also, a verb form that refers to the speaker. For example, am in I am, or are in
We are. Verb inflection rarely indicates person in English, but in other
languages, it often does.