A Statistical Analysis of the Vocabulary of Medical Research Articles (3) : Technical and Subtechnical Vocabulary

概要

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This paper completes my investigation into a word frequency count derived from a computer corpus of 16 medical journal articles. It is generally agreed that a command of both "technical" and "subtechnical" vocabulary is important for learners of Medical English. The paper looks at two types of subtechnical vocabulary: anaphoric nouns (a category of discourse-organizing words) and cryptotechnical words (common words which can also have a specialized meaning). The distribution of these words across the IMRAD sections of the articles is investigated. Anaphoric nouns are found to occur with the highest frequency in Introductions and Discussions, with cryptotechnical words most frequent in Methods and Results. Examples are given of how these words are used in context. Two different types of vocabulary found in limited contexts - "technical" and "lay-technical" words - are identified. The implications of these findings for both teachers and learners of Medical English are discussed.
広島文化学園大学の論文
2003-03-20