| Title: | The Subject-Neutral Vocabulary |
| Author: | Alexandra-Valeria Popescu |
| Publication: | Annales Universitatis Apulensis. Series Philologica, 11 (3), p. 122-131 |
| p-ISSN: | 1582-5523 |
| Publisher: | Universitatea „1 Decembrie 1918” |
| Place: | Alba Iulia |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Abstract: | The main function of the scientific text is the proof. The selection of the language means must therefore meet this main requirement. The genre of the scientific works is mostly characteristic of the written form of language such as scientific articles or textbooks, etc, but it may also be found in its oral form such as lectures or scientific reports, etc. The language of science is governed by the aim of the functional style of the scientific text, which is to prove a hypothesis, to create new concepts, to observe and analyse the relations between different phenomena, etc. The most important feature of the language used in the scientific works is the logical sequence of utterances with clear indication of their interrelations and interdependence. The language means used, therefore, tend to be objective, precise, unemotional, and devoid of any individuality. A particularly important aspect of scientific and technological language is the subject-neutral vocabulary which cuts across different specialized domains. The characteristic of the neutral vocabulary is its universal character. There is no restriction concerning its use; it can be employed in all styles of language and all spheres of human activity. Much of the scientific work involves giving instructions to act in a certain way, or reporting on the consequences of having so acted. Stylistically neutral words usually constitute the main member in a group of synonyms. The most neutral words are of monosyllabic character. This phenomenon has led to the development of conversion as the most productive means of word-building. Several lexical categories can be identified within the language of scientific instruction and narrative: verbs of exposition, verbs of advising and warning, verbs of manipulation or adjectival modifiers and their related adverbs, etc. Most of these words are used not only in the scientific and technological fields, they are part of our everyday conversation, they can be found in different spheres of human activity. This characteristic of the neutral words facilitates the understanding of a scientific work (for example an article about a new research on the medical field published in a newspaper) by most of the readers who are not obligatory specialists in a certain field. The aim of this paper is to analyze some aspects of the neutral vocabulary describing the above mentioned categories. |
| Key words: | neutral vocabulary; scientific texts; universal; lexical categories; conversion |
| Language: | English |
| Links: |  html |
Citations to this publication: 1
| 1 | Florin Sterian | Bibliografia românească de lingvistică (BRL, 53, 2010). Lucrări de lingvistică apărute în țara noastră în cursul anului 2010 | LR, LX (3), 307-453 | 2011 | pdf html |
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