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 14/7/2012 11:14 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 164
First: 31/5/2012 Last: 8/10/2012 |
[QUOTE]But it would not help my client if I was fluent in latin. kirked[/QUOTE] Dear kirked, many thanks indeed. Regarding Latin, I meant - doctors communicating to each other, not - to the patients (i.e. clients) |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 14/7/2012 5:21 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1288
First: 9/12/2011 Last: 24/5/2013 |
John, I implore the entire BMJ Forum to attempt to understand your post! A Philistine reaching for a pistol? Are you referencing the Biblical Philistines who had only swords? Only you, the Silverback of the BMJ Tribe could allow a Gun to enter a language Thread? Wherein lies your logic? What is the meaning of these statements? I will not even try to figure it out. DuaneF In Response to Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?: Dr.Linda, As a polylinguist, you illustrate my point that for some, with that talent, Latin seems to oil the wheels of langauge. I envy your facilty, your abilty and your cosmopolitanism, but it's gravel to me. Duane, you learn languages, I learn mechanics, birds and ecology. You were not, but Odysseus seems toinsist that only academic study can expand your mind That is as bad as being a Philistine who reaches fro thier pistiol when they hear the word Culture . John Posted by John D |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 14/7/2012 6:07 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2060
First: 12/3/2010 Last: 24/5/2013 |
Oh, dear! Oh, deary, deary me! And you a student of history and literature, Duane! My reference was to philistinism, the determined rejection of the Arts and Literature in favour of practicalilty, epitomised by Mr.Gradgrind in Dickens' "Hard Times", "Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life!" And the pistol? The Reich Marshal Hermann Goering is alleged to have said, "Wenn ich Kultur hore entsichere ich mein Browning'', "When I hear the word Culture, I reach for my pistol". If he did, he was in fact quoting a Nazi play, but the remark has gone down in history as the ultimate in philistinism. John |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 15/7/2012 3:00 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2952
First: 10/3/2009 Last: 25/5/2013 |
In Response to Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?: Dr.Linda, As a polylinguist, you illustrate my point that for some, with that talent, Latin seems to oil the wheels of langauge. I envy your facilty, your abilty and your cosmopolitanism, but it's gravel to me. Duane, you learn languages, I learn mechanics, birds and ecology. You were not, but Odysseus seems toinsist that only academic study can expand your mind That is as bad as being a Philistine who reaches fro thier pistiol when they hear the word Culture . John Posted by John D I disagree with your assertion re Odysseus. I believe anyone who has a thirst to drink at the well of enlightenment will be enlightened. It just depends how deeply you draw your bucket and how great your thirst. |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 15/7/2012 5:22 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1288
First: 9/12/2011 Last: 24/5/2013 |
OK John, I get your assertion. But Alas your indulgence into such an obscure avenue to deploy your logic and method would seem akin to Ice Fishing in a Volcano! WOW, you really do delve into some unusual methods to make your point. DuaneF In Response to Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?: Oh, dear! Oh, deary, deary me! And you a student of history and literature, Duane! My reference was to philistinism, the determined rejection of the Arts and Literature in favour of practicalilty, epitomised by Mr.Gradgrind in Dickens' "Hard Times", "Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life!" And the pistol? The Reich Marshal Hermann Goering is alleged to have said, "Wenn ich Kultur hore entsichere ich mein Browning'', "When I hear the word Culture, I reach for my pistol". If he did, he was in fact quoting a Nazi play, but the remark has gone down in history as the ultimate in philistinism. John Posted by John D |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 15/7/2012 11:07 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 184
First: 13/10/2009 Last: 24/5/2013 |
Latin featured strongly in my education - no regrets about it being there but I think it could have been taught in a better way - but I have always been slow with languages. At university I had to have a nodding acquaintance with medieval latin - great stuff as less purist as regards grammar. Whether it has helped me medically sufficient to justify all the hours involved I very much doubt. It has helped in widening my cultural horizons enormously as well as mental discipline . It has also proved a great help in trying to learn about English grammar and other languages - curiously even my self taught attempts at Turkish. It's a bit like physiology and medicine - a good understanding may not be directly relevant to much of medical practice but it is incredibly useful as one of the building blocks towards understanding. |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 15/7/2012 11:55 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 22
First: 24/2/2010 Last: 30/11/2012 |
This thread seems to have ventured into the virtues of learning Latin altogether, rather than whether or not it particularly relevant for doctors. I'm sure learning Latin does create a well-rounded individual, however my comprehensive school seemed to be more set on making sure everyone at the school had a good grasp on English and Maths, and then perhaps French or German ahead of a language that is not spoken anywhere. Furthermore, my medical school curriculum is bursting at the seams (I am in my final year), and from discussions at conferences I have been to regarding adding in various extra compulsory components, this seems to be the case nationwide. Highest on my priorities with regards to what I would like to get out of my medical education is to become a competent and empathetic doctor, with a longer-term goal of becoming excellent. Maybe one day in the future I will learn latin for pleasure, but personally I would rather go back to one of my neglected foreign languages to save me the embarrassment of being the ignorant English person on holiday who can only speak their own language, surrounded by Europeans who are able to switch between a number fluently. |
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Re: DOCTORS - not using Latin language? Why?
posted at 15/7/2012 9:28 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 184
First: 13/10/2009 Last: 24/5/2013 |
Summerdaisy , its not just the latin but the problem in part is to know whether learning all that science and maths makes one a better doctor - as opposed to being needed for medical school entrance. It sounds as though our aims are very similar , but I did not do any science at all until after my first degree and then had to an incredibly intensive year to catch up on what was needed. I would like to see a much broader approach to medical selection. Provided a basic level of science is there , there is no good reason why another subject should not be in eg philosophy , comparative religion , English literature , history etc... and given equal weight . I am not sure that I would give Latin much weight - I did not have much of an option at the time.( It might have been more sensible to suggest an arts student should know a bit about basic science). Of course , there are those who are primarily interested in the scientific as opposed to clinical medicine and they should be free to concentrate on just science - perhaps. Hopefully you will achieve your goals but it may be despite what your medical school throws at you.......... |
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