CC BY
21GREEK-LATIN TERM-ELEMENTS IN CLINICAL
TERMINOLOGY
M.Z. Kulasharova1, Kh. I Daulanova2
This article offers an overview of the system of word-formation in clinical terminology. It is obvious that a basic understanding of Greek-Latin term-elements increases the productivity of learning and comfort while using clinical terminology. A knowledge of the meaning of term-elements enables the students to thoroughly analyse a given medical term in terms of its component parts. The main part of this article consists of examples containing the most common prefixes, suffixes and roots.
Key words: Latin, Greek, word-formation, clinical terminology, prefixes, suffixes, roots.
In all subsystems of medical terminology, large or small number of terms, there is a large proportion of word-formation structures of various kinds, complex in word structure, composed of root and word-formation elements (prefixes and suffixes) of Greek-Latin origin. The so-called clinical terminology is especially rich in them. This conditionally - expanding concept means an extensive complex of a number of terminological systems that serve that area of medical and biological knowledge, which includes the entire range of issues related to a diseased organism. This area is usually called pathology (Greek: pathos suffering, illness + logos science, teaching). In it, first of all, the clinic of the disease is studied, its symptoms and manifestations, violations of physiological functions, structural changes in organs and tissues.
The foundation of clinical terminology is the subterminal system of pathological anatomy (pathoanatomy) and pathological physiology (pathophysiology).
The actual clinical terminology refers to a variety of subjects, processes, phenomena associated with the prevention, diagnosis of diseases, their differentiation using the names of specific nosological units (Greek nosos disease) units, with methods for examining and treating patients. Clinical terminology also includes the names of medical devices, instruments, equipment, etc.
To other subterminal systems, in particular to the anatomical nomenclature a word that has a motivation (internal form) is, in principle, derivable from its word-formation structure. This requires knowledge of the root and derivational elements and understanding of their connection (model). Unlike non-derivative root words such as tooth, eye, rib - dens, oculus, costa, etc., words with a transparent internal form may not be retrieved from memory in a finished form, but, as it were, created anew each time from already known elements for certain models. Therefore, in principle, such words do not have to be included in the educational dictionary, since it will not be difficult for you to realize the already existing word combinations.
Medical terminology should be considered as a specially organized sign system. For its understanding, it is much more important to focus on the logical and rational assimilation of the constituent parts of words of basic elements (roots, suffixes, prefixes) than on simple memorization of integral words-terms. The study of the material in this section of the textbook gives an impetus for your further self-education when you encounter a huge number of medical terms in all departments and then in practical work in your specialty.
Knowing how medical terms are built is crucial in understanding their meanings. As mentioned before, to understand a medical term, start from the end of the word, then return to the beginning, and move across. There is illustrated guidelines using gastr-o-enter-itis as an example:
1. Define the suffix, or last part of the word. In this case, the suffix -itis means inflammation.
1Kulasharova M.Z. - Student of European Medical University.
2Daulanova Kh.I. - Teacher of European Medical University.
2. Define the first part of the word (which may be a word root, combining form, or prefix). In this case, the combining form gastr(o) means stomach.
3. Define the middle parts of the word. In this case, the word root enter means intestine.
When you analyze gastr-o-enter-itis following the three steps, the meaning is: 1. inflammation (of); 2. stomach (and); 3. intestine.
Thus, the meaning of gastr-o-enter-itis is inflammation (of) stomach (and) intestine.
A - atonia - the absence of tone; apnoe - the absence of breath; aplasia - an organ, tissue or body part didn't develop normally.
Dys - dyspepsia - disorder of digestion; dyspnoe - difficult respiration; dystrophia
- faulty or inadequate nutrition or development.
Hyper - hyperaemia - excess of blood in a body part; hypertonia - increased rigidity, tension, and spasticity of the muscles; hyperthermia - an abnormally high body temperature.
Hypo - hypochondriasis - an abnormally heightened and unreasonable fear of disease; hypodermis - a layer of cells beneath the epidermis in some plants; hypothermia - abnormally low body temperature.
Peri - pericardium - serous membrane surrounding the heart; periosteum -membrane surrounding a bone; peristalsis - rhythmic contraction of the digestive tract.
Ismus - autismus - abnormal self - absorption; embolismus - obstruction of an artery; hypnotismus - art of inducing hypnosis.
Itis - appendicitis - inflammation of the vermiform appendix; arthritis -inflammation of a joint; bronchitis - inflammation of the bronchial tubes; otitis -inflammation of the ear.
Oma - granuloma - a tumour consisting of a mass of granular tissue; neuroma -tumour composed of nerve cells; sarcoma - malignant tumour of the bone, cartilage, fat, muscle.
Osis - adiposis - accumulation of adipose tissue; neurosis - mental disorder; tuberculosis - infectious disease; hypnosis - a trancelike state.
Anthrop - anthropogenesis - the origin of man; anthropophobia - fear of human beings.
Cyto - cytologia - the study of cells; cytomegalia - enlargement of cells.
Derma - dermatoscopia - examination of skin lesions; dermatologia - the study of the skin and its diseases.
Gastr - gastroenterologia - the study of the digestive system; gastroscopia -examination of oesophagus and stomach.
Hydr - hydronephrosis - dilation of the pelvis and calices of kidneys; hydrother-apia - external use of water in medical treatment.
Nephro - nephrologia - branch of medicine that deals with the kidneys; nephropathia - disease of the kidney.
Neuro - neuralgia - paroxysmal pain along the course of a nerve; neurosis - a mental disorder.
Pod - podagra - gout in the big toe; podalgia - pain in the foot esthesia-anaesthesia - loss of bodily sensation; dysaesthesia - impairment of sensation.
Genesis - pathogenesis - the origin and development of a disease; ontogenesis -development of an individual organism.
Malacia - myomalacia - pathological softening of muscular tissue; osteomalacia
- a softening of adult bones.
Plegia - hemiplegia - inability to move one side of the body; paraplegia -paralysis of both lower limbs.
Therapia - phototherapia - the use of light to treat disorders of the skin and mood disorders; physiotherapia - therapy that uses physical techniques such as massage and exercise.
The consiseness and perfection of Latin and Greek languages allows to express in one word the concept given in several words in Uzbek language. For example: dysentery - bad intestine or symbiosis - living together of two or more organisms. Greek-Latin prefixes play an important role in word formation. Knowing the means and methods of word formation is of great importance in learning medical terms.
References:
1. Xo'jayeva L.U., Zohidova X.A., Rahmatullayeva Z.Z. Lotin tili. - Tashkent, 2005.
2. Чернявский М.Н. Латинский язык и основы медицинской терминологии. -Москва: «Шико», 2018.
3. Banay G. An introduction to medical terminology I. Greek and Latin derivations. In: Bull Med Libr Assoc 1948; 36: 1-27.
4. A universal etymology dictionary. http://www.myetymology.com/
5. http://dictionary.reference.com/ety
© M.Z. Kulasharova, Kh. I Daulanova, 2023.
