www.focal.ie is the national database of Irish-language terminology which FIONTAR developed in collaboration with the Terminology Committee, Foras na Gaeilge. Phase I of the work consisted of digitising and integrating existing paper and electronic lists and was completed with funding from INTERREG III A (2004–7). FIONTAR, DCU continues to manage and develop this resource with funding from Foras na Gaeilge.
The database contains over 325,000 terms, searchable under both Irish and English versions. More than 880,000 unique visitors have used the website between 2006 and 2011. They have made 3.9 million visits and 25 million searches in that time. According to user surveys carried out by FIONTAR in 2010 and 2011, the site is primarily used by translators and interpreters and by university students.
Several resources have been added under subsequent phases. A dictionary of sports terms has been developed and added to www.focal.ie as well as tools for translation memories and other resources for translators including a link facility to The New Corpus for Ireland. Phase IV of the project began on 1 April 2011 with the following objectives:
www.focal.ie won the award for ‘Best Irish-language Site’ at the Irish Web Awards 2008; and the European Language Label in 2007.
Sonraí téarmaíochta: © 2006–2013 Foras na Gaeilge
