Structure of anatomical terms

One-word anatomical names

Many morphological structures are designated by a single Latin word, which closely resembles our familiar Russian language. Such terms are always in the Nominative case (Nominativus), and they can be used in both singular and plural forms (although the rules for forming plurals are usually considered as a separate block of grammar).

One-word terms include basic names of body parts, as well as names of specific organs and structures. Here are a few characteristic examples from different sections of anatomy:

• cranium — skull;
• femur — thigh, femur;
• crus — leg (crus);
• caput — head;
• collum — neck;
• truncus — trunk;
• abdōmen — abdomen;
• pelvis — pelvis;
• dorsum — back;
• sternum — sternum;
• clavicula — clavicle;
• mentum — chin;
• hepar — liver;
• oesophăgus — esophagus.

Important translation feature: In medical terminology, situations are frequent where a single short Latin word corresponds to a full two-word phrase in translation. This is often related to the historical origin of the word. For example, from the section on osteology:

• thorax (from the Greek word meaning "breastplate") translates as thoracic cage;
• fibula (in Latin, this is a "pin" or "brooch", which the bone visually resembles) — fibula;
• tibia (the Latin name for a small flute or musical instrument that was made of bones in ancient times) — tibia;
• radius (literally translates as "ray" or "spoke") — radius;
• humerus — humerus;
• maxilla — maxilla;
• mandibula — mandible;
• calvaria — calvaria.

Despite the abundance of such words, in modern international anatomical nomenclature, complex phrase terms are used much more frequently than simple one-word names.

Phrases and their syntax

An anatomical phrase is a syntactic structure consisting of two or more notional words. They are grammatically and semantically connected to each other to provide a complex, yet extremely precise and detailed designation of a specific object or its quality.

Words within such a term are unequal. There is a subordinate relationship between them, distinguishing a head word and a dependent one (or several dependent ones).

Rules for constructing a phrase:

1. Head word. It always occupies strictly first place in the construction. Morphologically, this is necessarily a noun in the nominative case (Nominativus). It answers the question "what is this?" and names the object itself.
2. Attributes (dependent words). All subsequent words in the term are qualifying members. They are needed to describe the characteristics and properties of the main object. In anatomy, such attributes most often indicate shape, exact size, spatial location, structural features of an organ, or connections between various body parts.

Examples of such syntactic structures:

• corpus costae — body of the rib;
• collum costae — neck of rib;
• membrum superius — upper limb;
• fossa cranii media — middle cranial fossa;
• trochanter major — greater trochanter;
• vagina processus styloidei — sheath of styloid process.

The relationship in which the second word grammatically subordinates to the first preceding noun is called government. For example, in the term arcus aortae (aortic arch), the word aortae completely depends on the word arcus, and in columna vertebralis (vertebral column), the adjective modifies the noun.

Government and non-concordant attributes

Among the types of subordination in Latin, government (Regimen in Latin) plays a crucial role. This type of syntactic connection is used when the qualifying (dependent) word is also expressed by a noun.

The main rule of government states: if the dependent word is a noun, it must without fail be put in the Genitive case (Genitivus).

An attribute expressed by a noun and constructed on the principle of government is called a non-concordant attribute in grammar.

Property of immutability: The key feature of a non-concordant attribute is that its form remains absolutely unchanged, even if the head word changes its case or is included in a longer and more complex term.

Let us examine examples:

• Base term: corpus linguae (body of tongue). The word linguae is a non-concordant attribute in the Genitivus.
• Term: caput costae (head of rib). If we need to say "notch of the head of the rib", the term becomes more complex: incisura capitis costae. Note that the word costae (Gen.) remained without the slightest change at the end of the chain.
• Similarly: septum nasi (nasal septum). When complicated to cartilago septi nasi (cartilage of nasal septum), the form of the word nasi (Gen.) is preserved.

Term schemas by type of government

In order not to get confused in complex multi-word names and to translate them correctly from Latin into Russian (and vice versa), it is convenient for medical students to use graphical logical schemas. In them, the letter N denotes a noun, numbers denote word order, and an arrow (↓) denotes the direction of subordination from the head word to the dependent word.

Simple schema (two words): Used for terms consisting of two nouns. N1 (Head word, Nom.) ↓ N2 (Dependent word, Gen.). Example: sternal angle — angulus (N1) sterni (N2).

Complex schema (chain): If there are several non-concordant attributes, the schema is built vertically, where each subsequent word is governed by the preceding one. N1 (Nom.) ↓ N2 (Gen.) ↓ N3 (Gen.). Example: pedicles of vertebral arch — pedunculi (N1, pedicles) ↓ arcus (N2, arch) ↓ vertebrae (N3, of vertebra).

Class and exam questions

What else to study on this topic

• Agreement as the second type of subordination
• Grammatical features of the first and second declensions of nouns
• Features of inflection of anatomical terms in the plural
• The role of adjectives in the structure of multi-word anatomical names

Other topics in the section "Noun Morphology. Declensions. Syntax"

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