International scientific vocabulary (ISV) comprises scientific and specialized words whose language of origin may or may not be certain, but which are in current use in several modern languages (that is, translingually, whether in naturalized, loanword, or calque forms).
The name "international scientific vocabulary" was first used by Philip Gove in Webster's Third New International Dictionary (1961). As noted by David Crystal, science is an especially productive field for new coinages. It is also especially predisposed to immediate translingual sharing of words owing to its very nature: scientists working in many countries and languages, reading each other's latest articles in scientific journals (via foreign language skills, translation help, or both), and eager to apply any reported advances to their own context.
Instances
According to Webster's Third, "some ISV words (like haploid) have been created by taking a word with a rather general and simple meaning from one of the languages of antiquity, usually Latin and Greek, and conferring upon it a very specific and complicated meaning for the purposes of modern scientific discourse." An ISV word is typically a classical compound or a derivative which "gets only its raw materials, so to speak, from antiquity." Its morphology may vary across languages.
The online version of Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged (Merriam-Webster, 2002) adds that the ISV "consists of words or other linguistic forms current in two or more languages" that "differ from New Latin in being adapted to the structure of the individual languages in which they appear." In other words, ISV terms are often made with Greek, Latin, or other combining forms, but each language pronounces the resulting neo-lexemes within its own phonemic "comfort zone", and makes morphological connections using its normal morphological system. In this respect, ISV can be viewed as heavily borrowing loanwords from Neo-Latin.
McArthur characterizes ISV words and morphemes as "translinguistic", explaining that they operate "in many languages that serve as mediums for education, culture, science, and technology." Besides European languages, such as Russian, Swedish, English, and Spanish, ISV lexical items also function in Japanese, Malay, Philippine languages, and other Asian languages. According to McArthur, no other set of words and morphemes is so international.
It is not always practically relevant, to any concerns except philology and the history of science, which language any particular ISV term first appeared in, as its cognate naturalized counterparts in other languages are effectively coeval with it for most practical scientific purposes, as well as being self-evidently equivalent in surface analysis. This characteristic is corollary to the very nature of science: it is predisposed to immediate translingual sharing of words, as scientists, working in many countries and languages, are perennially reading each other's latest articles in scientific journals (via foreign language skills, translation help, or both), and eager to apply any reported advances to their own context. This theme applies even regardless of whether each instance of scientific exchange is openly collaborative (as in open science) or is driven by espionage or industrial espionage (as for example regarding weapons systems development).
The ISV is one of the concepts behind the development and standardization of the constructed language called Interlingua. Scientific and medical terms in Interlingua are largely of Greco-Latin origin, but, like most Interlingua words, they appear in a wide range of languages. Interlingua's vocabulary is established using a group of control languages selected as they radiate words into, and absorb words from, a large number of other languages. A prototyping technique then selects the most recent common ancestor of each eligible Interlingua word or affix. The word or affix takes a contemporary form based on the control languages. This procedure is meant to give Interlingua the most generally international vocabulary possible.
Words and word roots that have different meanings from those in the original languages
This is a list of scientific words and word roots which have different meanings from those in the original languages.
| Word or root | Scientific meaning | Original language | Original word | Original meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| andro-, -ander | stamen, man | Greek | ἀνήρ, ἀνδρός | man | in flowers of flowering plants |
| gyno-, -gyne | carpel, woman | Greek | γυνή, γυναικός | woman | |
| capno- | carbon dioxide | Greek | καπνός | smoke | |
| electro- | electricity | Greek | ἤλεκτρον | amber | via static electricity from rubbing amber |
| -itis | inflammation | Greek | -ῖτις | pertaining to | |
| thorax | chest (anatomy) | Greek | θώραξ | breastplate | |
| toxo- | poison | Greek | τόξον | bow (weapon) | via 'poisoned arrow'. It means 'bow' in Toxodon and 'arc' in isotoxal. |
| macro- | big | Greek | μακρός | long | |
| In names of biological taxa | |||||
| -ceras | ammonite | Greek | κέρας | horn | via resemblance to a ram's horn |
| -crinus | crinoid | Greek | κρίνος | lily | extracted from name "crinoid" |
| grapto- | graptolite | Greek | γραπτός | written | via resemblance of fossil |
| -gyrinus | labyrinthodont | Greek | γυρῖνος | tadpole | |
| -lestes | predator | Greek | λῃστής | robber | |
| -mimus | ornithomimid | Greek | μῖμος | mime | extracted from name Ornithomimus = 'bird mimic' |
| -mys | rodent | Greek | μῦς | mouse | including in Phoberomys |
| -saurus | reptile, dinosaur | Greek | σαῦρος | lizard | |
| -stega, -stege | stegocephalian | Greek | στέγη | roof | via their cranium roofs as fossils |
| -suchus, -champsus | crocodilian | Ancient Egyptian | σοῦχος, χάμψα | Quoted by ancient Greek authors as Egyptian words for 'crocodile' | |
| therium | usually mammal | Greek | θηρίον | beast, animal | |
| Names of bones | |||||
| femur | thighbone | Latin | femur | thigh | Classical Latin genitive often feminis |
| fibula | (a leg bone) | Latin | fībula | brooch | tibia & fibula looked like a brooch and its pin |
| radius | (an arm bone) | Latin | radius | spoke | |
| tibia | shinbone | Latin | tībia | flute | via animal tibias modified into flutes |
| ulna | (an arm bone) | Latin | ulna | elbow, cubit measure | |
| Other | |||||
| foetus / fetus | unborn baby | Medical Latin | fētus (var. foetus) | As 1st/2nd decl. adjective, 'pregnant' As 4th decl. noun, 'the young of animals' | |
Words and word roots that have one meaning from Latin and another meaning from Greek
This is a list of scientific words and word roots which have one meaning from Latin and another meaning from Greek.
| Word or root | Scientific meaning from Latin | Example | Latin word | Latin meaning | Scientific meaning from Greek | Example | Greek word | Greek meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| alg- | alga | alga | alga | seaweed | pain | analgesic | ἄλγος | pain | |
| crema- | burn | cremation | cremāre | to burn (tr.) | hang, be suspended | cremaster | κρεμάννυμι | I hang (tr.) |
Other words and word roots with two meanings
This is a list of other scientific words and word roots which have two meanings.
| Word or root | Scientific meaning 1 | Example | Origin | Original meaning | Scientific meaning 2 | Example | Origin | Original meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uro- | tail | Uromastyx | Greek οὐρά | tail | urine | urology | Greek οὐρῶ | urine | |
| mento- | the mind | mental | Latin mēns | the mind | (of the) chin | mentoplasty | Latin mentum | chin |
Other differences
Another difference between scientific terms and classical Latin and Greek is that many compounded scientific terms do not elide the inflection vowel at the end of a root before another root or prefix that starts with a vowel, e.g. gastroenteritis; but elision happens in gastrectomy (not *gastroectomy).
The Greek word τέρας (τέρατο-) = "monster" is usually used to mean "monster (abnormal)" (e.g. teratology, teratogen), but some biological names use it to mean "monster (enormous)" (e.g. the extinct animals Teratornis (a condor with a 12-foot wingspan) and Terataspis (a trilobite 2 feet long)).
Haplology
A feature affecting clarity in seeing a scientific word's components is haplology, i.e. removing one of two identical or similar syllables that meet at the junction point of a compound word. Examples are:
- appendectomy = appendix, appendicis, (Latin for "appendix") + -ectomy (ultimately from Greek τομή, "a cutting")
- Dracohors = draco, draconis, "Latin for dragon" + cohors, "cohort"
- Hapalemur = hapalo- (Greek ἁπαλός, "gentle") + lemur
See also
- Binomial nomenclature
- Classical compound
- English words of Greek origin
- Greek and Latin roots in English
- Hybrid word
- Internationalism (linguistics)
- Latinization (literature)
- Lexicography
- Language-for-specific-purposes dictionary (LSP dictionary)
- Medical dictionary
- Medical terminology
- Scientific Latin
- Scientific terminology
- Scientific notation
- Systematic name
- Terminology
Lists
- List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions
- List of Latin abbreviations
- List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names
- List of medical roots, suffixes and prefixes
- List of Germanic and Latinate equivalents
- List of Latin words with English derivatives
- List of Greek and Latin roots in English
References
- McArthur, Tom (editor), The Oxford Companion to the English Language. Oxford University Press, 1992.
- Crystal, David, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language. Cambridge University Press, 1995.
- The online version is available by subscription.
- "International scientific vocabulary." Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged. Merriam-Webster, 2002. Accessed July 11, 2006.
- McArthur, Tom, "Asian Lexicography: Past, Present, and Prospective", Lexicography in Asia (Introduction). Password Publishers Limited, 1998. Accessed January 17, 2007.
- Gode, Alexander, Interlingua: A Dictionary of the International Language. New York: Storm Publishers, 1951.
External links
- Dictionary of Botanical Epithets
- List of Latin Words with Derivatives to English
- Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language 1998 entry on International Scientific Vocabulary
International scientific vocabulary ISV comprises scientific and specialized words whose language of origin may or may not be certain but which are in current use in several modern languages that is translingually whether in naturalized loanword or calque forms The name international scientific vocabulary was first used by Philip Gove in Webster s Third New International Dictionary 1961 As noted by David Crystal science is an especially productive field for new coinages It is also especially predisposed to immediate translingual sharing of words owing to its very nature scientists working in many countries and languages reading each other s latest articles in scientific journals via foreign language skills translation help or both and eager to apply any reported advances to their own context InstancesAccording to Webster s Third some ISV words like haploid have been created by taking a word with a rather general and simple meaning from one of the languages of antiquity usually Latin and Greek and conferring upon it a very specific and complicated meaning for the purposes of modern scientific discourse An ISV word is typically a classical compound or a derivative which gets only its raw materials so to speak from antiquity Its morphology may vary across languages The online version of Webster s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged Merriam Webster 2002 adds that the ISV consists of words or other linguistic forms current in two or more languages that differ from New Latin in being adapted to the structure of the individual languages in which they appear In other words ISV terms are often made with Greek Latin or other combining forms but each language pronounces the resulting neo lexemes within its own phonemic comfort zone and makes morphological connections using its normal morphological system In this respect ISV can be viewed as heavily borrowing loanwords from Neo Latin McArthur characterizes ISV words and morphemes as translinguistic explaining that they operate in many languages that serve as mediums for education culture science and technology Besides European languages such as Russian Swedish English and Spanish ISV lexical items also function in Japanese Malay Philippine languages and other Asian languages According to McArthur no other set of words and morphemes is so international It is not always practically relevant to any concerns except philology and the history of science which language any particular ISV term first appeared in as its cognate naturalized counterparts in other languages are effectively coeval with it for most practical scientific purposes as well as being self evidently equivalent in surface analysis This characteristic is corollary to the very nature of science it is predisposed to immediate translingual sharing of words as scientists working in many countries and languages are perennially reading each other s latest articles in scientific journals via foreign language skills translation help or both and eager to apply any reported advances to their own context This theme applies even regardless of whether each instance of scientific exchange is openly collaborative as in open science or is driven by espionage or industrial espionage as for example regarding weapons systems development The ISV is one of the concepts behind the development and standardization of the constructed language called Interlingua Scientific and medical terms in Interlingua are largely of Greco Latin origin but like most Interlingua words they appear in a wide range of languages Interlingua s vocabulary is established using a group of control languages selected as they radiate words into and absorb words from a large number of other languages A prototyping technique then selects the most recent common ancestor of each eligible Interlingua word or affix The word or affix takes a contemporary form based on the control languages This procedure is meant to give Interlingua the most generally international vocabulary possible Words and word roots that have different meanings from those in the original languagesThis is a list of scientific words and word roots which have different meanings from those in the original languages Word or root Scientific meaning Original language Original word Original meaning Notesandro ander stamen man Greek ἀnhr ἀndros man in flowers of flowering plantsgyno gyne carpel woman Greek gynh gynaikos womancapno carbon dioxide Greek kapnos smokeelectro electricity Greek ἤlektron amber via static electricity from rubbing amber itis inflammation Greek ῖtis pertaining tothorax chest anatomy Greek 8wra3 breastplatetoxo poison Greek to3on bow weapon via poisoned arrow It means bow in Toxodon and arc in isotoxal macro big Greek makros longIn names of biological taxa ceras ammonite Greek keras horn via resemblance to a ram s horn crinus crinoid Greek krinos lily extracted from name crinoid grapto graptolite Greek graptos written via resemblance of fossil gyrinus labyrinthodont Greek gyrῖnos tadpole lestes predator Greek lῃsths robber mimus ornithomimid Greek mῖmos mime extracted from name Ornithomimus bird mimic mys rodent Greek mῦs mouse including in Phoberomys saurus reptile dinosaur Greek saῦros lizard stega stege stegocephalian Greek stegh roof via their cranium roofs as fossils suchus champsus crocodilian Ancient Egyptian soῦxos xampsa Quoted by ancient Greek authors as Egyptian words for crocodile therium usually mammal Greek 8hrion beast animalNames of bonesfemur thighbone Latin femur thigh Classical Latin genitive often feminisfibula a leg bone Latin fibula brooch tibia amp fibula looked like a brooch and its pinradius an arm bone Latin radius spoketibia shinbone Latin tibia flute via animal tibias modified into flutesulna an arm bone Latin ulna elbow cubit measureOtherfoetus fetus unborn baby Medical Latin fetus var foetus As 1st 2nd decl adjective pregnant As 4th decl noun the young of animals Words and word roots that have one meaning from Latin and another meaning from GreekThis is a list of scientific words and word roots which have one meaning from Latin and another meaning from Greek Word or root Scientific meaning from Latin Example Latin word Latin meaning Scientific meaning from Greek Example Greek word Greek meaning Notesalg alga alga alga seaweed pain analgesic ἄlgos paincrema burn cremation cremare to burn tr hang be suspended cremaster kremannymi I hang tr Other words and word roots with two meaningsThis is a list of other scientific words and word roots which have two meanings Word or root Scientific meaning 1 Example Origin Original meaning Scientific meaning 2 Example Origin Original meaning Notesuro tail Uromastyx Greek oὐra tail urine urology Greek oὐrῶ urinemento the mind mental Latin mens the mind of the chin mentoplasty Latin mentum chinOther differencesAnother difference between scientific terms and classical Latin and Greek is that many compounded scientific terms do not elide the inflection vowel at the end of a root before another root or prefix that starts with a vowel e g gastroenteritis but elision happens in gastrectomy not gastroectomy The Greek word teras terato monster is usually used to mean monster abnormal e g teratology teratogen but some biological names use it to mean monster enormous e g the extinct animals Teratornis a condor with a 12 foot wingspan and Terataspis a trilobite 2 feet long HaplologyA feature affecting clarity in seeing a scientific word s components is haplology i e removing one of two identical or similar syllables that meet at the junction point of a compound word Examples are appendectomy appendix appendicis Latin for appendix ectomy ultimately from Greek tomh a cutting Dracohors draco draconis Latin for dragon cohors cohort Hapalemur hapalo Greek ἁpalos gentle lemurSee alsoBinomial nomenclature Classical compound English words of Greek origin Greek and Latin roots in English Hybrid word Internationalism linguistics Latinization literature Lexicography Language for specific purposes dictionary LSP dictionary Medical dictionary Medical terminology Scientific Latin Scientific terminology Scientific notation Systematic name TerminologyLists List of abbreviations used in medical prescriptions List of Latin abbreviations List of Latin and Greek words commonly used in systematic names List of medical roots suffixes and prefixes List of Germanic and Latinate equivalents List of Latin words with English derivatives List of Greek and Latin roots in EnglishReferencesMcArthur Tom editor The Oxford Companion to the English Language Oxford University Press 1992 Crystal David The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language Cambridge University Press 1995 The online version is available by subscription International scientific vocabulary Webster s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged Merriam Webster 2002 Accessed July 11 2006 McArthur Tom Asian Lexicography Past Present and Prospective Lexicography in Asia Introduction Password Publishers Limited 1998 Accessed January 17 2007 Gode Alexander Interlingua A Dictionary of the International Language New York Storm Publishers 1951 External linksDictionary of Botanical Epithets List of Latin Words with Derivatives to English Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language 1998 entry on International Scientific Vocabulary
