The Most Important Journals of the 1920s and 1930s for Research into the History of Terminology

In order to research the development of terminology in a field of knowledge, it is necessary to adhere to a common methodology and clearly define the object of research, the chronological framework, and the sources used. Such an approach will avoid fragmentism, imprecise dating, and poorly justified attribution of authorship of specific terms. Four different approaches are possible to study the process of term creation, emphasising (1) institutional structures, (2) leading theoretical positions, (3) key figures, or (4) the creation of terminological resources. The latter approach requires identifying all types of terminological resources, especially publications in the press. The article examines reference sources on press publications published in the Republic of Latvia during the interwar period. A classification of magazines is proposed depending on their publisher (governmental institutions, political parties, public and religious organisations, professional societies or associations of interested parties, commercial press or book publishers). The article provides an insight into the most typical examples from magazines of various thematic groups (ministerial magazines, publications for specialists, military and technical magazines, literary magazines, illustrated magazines). Considering the diversity of press publications of the interwar period, the identification of the most important journals in a particular study is a necessary preparatory work, without which it is impossible to find a clear insight into the development of the terminology of a particular field. Research on the history of terminology in a field should ideally be carried out in close cooperation with specialists in the history of science.