PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

Jana Koišová

The Institute of Physiotherapy, Balneology and Medical Rehabilitation, University of SS. Cyril and Methodius, Trnava, Slovakia

INTRODUCTION: The professional medical terminology has undergone development of more than two thousand five hundred years. Each historical period has left some imprints in the medical terminology in the form of certain number of terms. The focus of current medical terminology consists of two classical languages, namely the language of Greek and Latin. Knowledge of Greek and Latin terms (and not only knowledge of semantic aspect, but also the composition and proper use of terms) belongs immemorial to professional equipment of every doctor and health care. In this article we will discuss items of Latin and partially Greek language, based on which is the terminology built.

Most successful use of parts of speech in medical terminology have nouns (substantives) that describe particular parts and organs of the human body, diseases, injuries, surgery, exercises, medicines and the like. Nouns are often closely specified, eventually form set phrases with adjectives. An important role play adjectives by reflecting the characteristics of nouns. Professional medical terminology consists mainly of wealth of substantives and adjectives. Another important parts of speech are numerals, indicating the number or order. Prepositions in a conjunction with professional terms reflect the space-time, causal and purpose relationships. Prepositions are often used firmly added before other words as a prefix. This way they form derived words. Verbs apply mostly at recipes stylization. In medical terminology is increased use of indefinite verb forms (participium, gerundivum and gerundium).

Besides mentioned parts of speech, characteristic of medical terminology are compound words. In the group of compound and derived words are included Latin-Greek hybrids, too. Common method used to form medical terms is the derivation and composing. Simple, basic, not derived words form the smallest group of words in the language. Most of the words in medical terminology form derived and compound words. They are characteristic of medical terminology, especially in clinicopathological terminology, where one-word expressions often express the full diagnosis.

In the Latin language we distinguish three groups of words:

1. simple words – (basic, underived) the smallest group of words in a language, such as rādīx, icis, f. - root; costa, ae, f. - rib; vīta, ae, f. - life.

2. derived words – Derived word has a root to which prefixes and suffixed are added to form further expressions. They make up the vast majority of words in medical terminology. The root word is fused with prefixes or suffixes, sometimes both. Affixes might be used in one word more times, for example, vertebrālis, e - vertebral; trānsfūsiō, onis, f.  - transfer / pouring; diagnōsis, -, f. - recognition.

Demonstration

         caput, itis, n. - head

         capitulum, ī, n. - a small head

         biceps, cipitis - having two heads

         occiput, cipitis, n. - back part of head

         occipitālis, e - relating to occiput

3. compound words – they are characteristic of expert terminology, especially in clinicopathological terminology. One word is made of two and more word bases. Particularly in the Greek language it is common to form long compound words. It applies to Latin and Greek words and those which are formed from parts of both languages (the Hybrids).

Hybrids – Some derived and compound word consist of the Latin and Greek part.

Demonstration

dysfūnctiō, ōnis, f. - dys - is the Greek prefix corresponding to the Latin laesiō,        

fūnctiō - is Latin expression meaning a function or an activity

CONCLUSION: Acquisition of a specific vocabulary, understanding of basic grammar rules and understanding of principles, in which special terms are formed and linked in a certain context and related composition, can favourably influence and deepen the knowledge of other medical branches.

Sources and References

KOIŠOVÁ, J.: Derived and Compound Words. Latin-Greek Hybrids. IN: Slovak journal of health sciencs. 2016, roč. 7, č. 1, ISSN 1338-161X

ŠIMON, F.: Latinská lekárska terminológia. Martin : OSVETA 1990. 184 s. ISBN 80-217-0297-4.

VEJRAŽKA, M., SVOBODOVÁ, D.: Terminologiae medicae IANUA. Praha : Galén 2002. 435 s. ISBN 80-200-0929-9.