Entomologia

Special

Expressões médicas: falhas e acertos
Medical Expressions: Shortcomings and suitability Simônides BACELAR1, Carmem Cecília GALVÃO2, Elaine ALVES3 , Paulo TUBINO4
“Deve-se empregar as palavras na linguagem científica, com o mesmo rigor com que se empregam os símbolos em matemática” (Plácido Barbosa, Dicionário de Terminologia Médica Portuguesa, 1917).

Continuing with a series of articles related to scientific research and the writing of scientific articles, this issue presents an excellent work entitled Medical Expressions: Shortcomings and suitability. It discusses the fact that, although medical doctors have an excellent general culture, there are frequently imperfections in respect to the language they use in scientific papers. Often obscure and ambiguous statements and other linguistic problems impair the comprehension of these reports. Considerations about the cases presented in this report are supported by what is recommended by the majority of experts in the Portuguese language and in medical terminology. According to these scholars the following principles, among others, are recommended: (1) In language there is not right and wrong as there are distinct levels of language. There is adequacy and inadequacy for each of these levels. (2) In language, it makes good sense to adopt flexibility. (3) The scientific language should be exact, so as not to have misunderstandings; simple, to be well comprehended and concise, to save the time of the reader and space in publications. (4) The normative grammar, owing to its formation based on the standard culture of the language, is adapted to the formal scientific language. (5) It is recommended to avoid terms criticized by good linguists and to use non-condemned synonyms. (6) In science, it is convenient to have only one name per item. (7) In general, follow rules, that is, proceed according to the majority of cases is preferable to the exceptions. (8) Medical slang should be avoided in formal reports. (9)