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Nomenclature from linguistic point of view: its benefits for teaching science

Publication at Faculty of Science |
2018

Abstract

One of the main aims of science education is to familiarize pupils with scientific language peculiarities. Pupils should be acquainted with terminology, i. e. they should be able both to understand and to use it.

Nomenclature, an inseparable part of terminology, comprises names of organisms, chemical substances or regions. The number of names pupils hear about at school is huge and many of them seem odd.

Etymological approach to nomenclature can show legitimacy of such words and facilitate their learning. This is generally accepted as far as Latin terms are concerned.

This article wants to draw attention to nomenclature itself that need not to be of Latin origin. The text summarizes what kind of lessons can be learnt from linguistic analysis of scientific nomenclature.

It contains examples of Czech names that are included in biological, chemical, geological and geographical schoolwork and sums up principles teachers should respect teaching this topic.