Abstract
The present paper aims at providing a new viewpoint on the development of scientific writing as regards its lexicon following the introduction of the scientific method in England. Although it will not provide universally valid evidence, new vocabulary formations (in nouns) will be examined in order to ascertain whether the morphological processes in these special languages behave the same way across the different scientific disciplines and levels of formality of texts or if, on the contrary, each adapts to the needs of its particular type of users (intended audience). Samples of texts pertaining to the eighteenth-century disciplines of astronomy and medicine have been studied. The differences observed in morphological behaviour will be accounted for resorting to several extra-linguistic factors so that a vision of the scientific register as a non-monolithic entity can be offered.
Highlights
The way in which language was used in the early days of the scientific register has been studied by different authors in a number of different ways
This paper examines the different characteristics of new vocabulary formations following the introduction of the scientific method in the 17th century in order to ascertain whether the morphological processes in these special languages behave the same way across two different scientific disciplines and levels of formality of texts or if, on the contrary, each adapts to the needs of its particular type of users and audiences
The process of compounding tends to concentrate meaning and this was a practice that was to increase gradually from the second half of the 17th century onwards as part of the effort to use the resources of the English language for scientific purposes (Jones 1930; Shapin 1984), but one which is not yet prevalent in the texts in my survey
Summary
The way in which language was used in the early days of the scientific register has been studied by different authors in a number of different ways. This paper examines the different characteristics of new vocabulary formations (in nouns) following the introduction of the scientific method in the 17th century in order to ascertain whether the morphological processes in these special languages behave the same way across two different scientific disciplines and levels of formality of texts or if, on the contrary, each adapts to the needs of its particular type of users and audiences. In the latter case, the use of different morphological devices could be viewed as an in-group strategy on the part of authors.
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