Abstract : Taking into account variation in terminology is fairly recent. The interest for this issue appeared with textual terminology, fifteen years ago. This new approach to terminology could be a way of improving the management of risk related to language use in the workplace and to contribute to the definition of a "linguistics of the workplace". Linguistics (as a scientific field) is hardly present in the workplace; nevertheless two types of linguistic studies may be identified: sociolinguistics and Natural Language Processes (NLP). The two have to deal with lexical phenomena, -i.e. terminology- sociolinguistics taking into account very subtle inter-individual variations and NLP, more interested by stability in the use. So, taking into account variations in building terminologies could be a means to consider both description and prescription, use and norm. This approach to terminology, which has been made possible thanks to NLP and Knowledge Engineering contributions could be a way of meeting needs in the workplace concerning the management of risk related to language use.
