ETYMOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF DEVELOPING FUTURE PHYSICIANS’ TERMINOLOGICAL COMPETENCE AS A PEDAGOGICAL PROBLEM

Abstract

Many medical terms have been replaced by descriptive names taken from everyday vocabulary, ancient mythology, etc. due to the lack of an appropriate term reflecting a body organ or a disease in ancient times.

Knowing the etymology of the medical terms contributes to their deeper and better understanding, memorizing and practical use by highly qualified future physicians. All of these issues prompted us to write the article.

Latin was the international language of medicine until the 18^th century. Greek terms were created at the times of Hippocrates, Galen and their precursors. Aul Cornelius Celsus established the basis of Latin medical terminology as well as Latin terms were created in the Middle Ages. Most of the Greek terms were Latinized. Modern European languages vocabulary gradually penetrated into medical terminology only in the 19^th century.

Much of the medical vocabulary consists of the names due to metaphorization phenomenon of common names, and the names of household items. Such names can be subdivided into three groups according to a theory of nomination. The first group includes lexe­mes according to the association in appearance, e.g., membrana arachnoidea (derives from Geek αραχνη (arachne, es f–a “spider”)) has English equivalent the “arachnoid membrane” of the brain. The second group covers terms due to functional similarity, e.g.,
incus, ūdis f denoting an “anvil” or “incus” (one of the auditory ossicles contained in the tympanic cavity) resembling the anvil used in black­smithing. Both terms according to the association in appearance and functional similarity belong to the third group, e.g., pelvis, is f denotes a “basin” or “container” in colloquial language and it means a “pelvis” in anatomy, e.g, pelvis minor – the “lesser or true pelvis”, pelvis maior – the “greater pelvis”.

The prospects of further research are in the study of mythonyms and eponyms according to the great importance of developing future physicians’ terminological competence and clinical thinking.