DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
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DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
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Latin language has been the common language for communication between doctors for ages. In my country of origing it was and still is a mandatory part of the Medical Degree. In contrary
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Forums » Open clinical » General clinical » DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 21/7/2012 7:14 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1786
First: 7/3/2009 Last: 22/5/2013 |
In Response to Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?: What is the best way to communicate with patients and colleagues in England? In English. Latin is a fascinating and cultured language but it is mainly used because of academic snobbery. Kirked, I think we don't mean we should speak Latin between us.I do think that we should use existing terminology the way it should be used and pronounce it in a correct way.Terminology is there for international causes.In former Soviet Union there were times when all diseases and all terminologies were attributed to Soviet scientists and you could not use foreign terminology. Was that OK? No. So, no need to speak in Latin or Esperanto,however one should use the correct terminology and pronounce it correctly. Posted by kirked |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 22/7/2012 1:10 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 15
First: 8/1/2011 Last: 2/5/2013 |
How refreshing! Not only can a few colleagues still speak up for Latin, but they show by their very eloquence the intrinsic value of a Classical education. Res ipsa loquitur. |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 22/7/2012 10:32 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2054
First: 12/3/2010 Last: 23/5/2013 |
This thread assumes that languages are a fixed quantity. Some languages are fixed, by a philosophy of Linguistic Purism and official sanction. What is the effect of that? We have a real life model in France where the Academie Francaise (AF) was founded by the State in the 17th Century to produce a Dictionary of French, and has assumed the role of excluding all foreign influence on the language. The AF's dictionary is now in its ninth edition, which has got the letter M and will contain 50,000 words. Compare the Oxford English Dictionary, which has no official status, other than its own authority. It was founded in the 19th Century, first published in 1928 and is now in its third edition having reached the letter R. It will contain 600,000 words. Conclusion. 1/Linguistic purism leads to intellectual poverty, in that French has ten times fewer words to use than English. 2/ Languages that do not change, fossilise. French is no longer an international language, despite its previous diplomatic preeminence. 3/ English is not the language it was when it acquired Latin. It is not the language it was a few years ago - it is bigger, better and different. Get used to it! John |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 22/7/2012 1:12 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 959
First: 15/7/2011 Last: 21/5/2013 |
In Response to Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?: In Response to Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why? : Kirked, I think we don't mean we should speak Latin between us.I do think that we should use existing terminology the way it should be used and pronounce it in a correct way.Terminology is there for international causes.In former Soviet Union there were times when all diseases and all terminologies were attributed to Soviet scientists and you could not use foreign terminology. Was that OK? No. So, no need to speak in Latin or Esperanto,however one should use the correct terminology and pronounce it correctly. Posted by yoram chaiter Yoram I get your point. Conversation of medical information amongst educated Doctors can use Latin to describe specific things. |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 23/7/2012 11:44 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 164
First: 31/5/2012 Last: 8/10/2012 |
In Response to Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why? : Kirked, I think we don't mean we should speak Latin between us.I do think that we should use existing terminology the way it should be used and pronounce it in a correct way.Terminology is there for international causes.however one should use the correct terminology and pronounce it correctly. Posted by yoram chaiter Dear Yoram, I compltely agree. This was/is my point |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 23/7/2012 1:19 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2948
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 23/5/2013 |
At the risk of labouring the point, as at least half of all medical parlance is Greek, talking about why we don't speak Latin tends to ignore the elephant in the room. the very term, physic as in "pomp and physic" underlines this obvious contention. In the days when the scientific and medical community conversed in Latin, it was taken for granted that educated men (few women then) were also conversant in Greek eg in the time of Newton and even in the Enlightenment. |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 23/7/2012 8:36 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2054
First: 12/3/2010 Last: 23/5/2013 |
You think doctors have forgotten Latin? Just watched University Challenge. The team from Kings Cambridge, surely one of the most prestigious educational establishments, were asked to identify which organ/s were described by the medical suffixes:- Orcho- Myelo- Nephro- They guessed Ear Fat and KIDNEY! Yay! Impressive, no? JOhn |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 23/7/2012 9:24 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2948
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 23/5/2013 |
In Response to Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?: You think doctors have forgotten Latin? Just watched University Challenge. The team from Kings Cambridge, surely one of the most prestigious educational establishments, were asked to identify which organ/s were described by the medical suffixes:- Orcho- Myelo- Nephro- They guessed Ear Fat and KIDNEY! Yay! Impressive, no? JOhn Posted by John D At the risk of pointing out the obvious, not one of these are Latin. They are all Greek. Indeed, this shows once and for all that we have slidden so far down the linguistic and intellectual ladder as a profession that few of us would recognise a Greek word if it hit us in the head with a souvlaki. We are now vocationally trained nongs. Medicine is not longer a scientific pursuit of educated intellectuals. We are but modern motor mechanics. I await the howls of indignation. |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 23/7/2012 9:42 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2948
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 23/5/2013 |
In Response to Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?: True, actually we should say Latin and Green terminology. Beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam. Posted by yoram chaiter ITA VERO, MI FILI, YORAME. MITIS SAPIENTIA. GRATIAS TIBI AGO. ODYSSEUS. |
Forums » Open clinical » General clinical » DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
