mentioning a term, but not linking to it

Sorry, I don't understand. I meant lets put functions that are not language-specific (i.e. tag_text, translit(), is there any more?) in Module:utilities, a title similar to the existing language-specific modules, like la-utilities. Actually I just edited the title you proposed, "language utilities", well this is a dictionary, utilities are supposed to be about languages!

Not necessarily. There are lots of other things besides languages that utilities could be for. Like scripts, or families, or inflection tables or etymologies... you get the idea.

But scripts, families, inflection tables and etymologies are still about languages! What about "term utilities", which is more specific and codes about scripts, families, ... won't make the module too big?