Common Names of Human Genitals in the Popularized Medical Writings by Lithuanian Medical Doctors of the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries

  • Palmira Zemlevičiūtė
Keywords: term, name, taboo, euphemism, medicine, health, genitals, colloquial language, written language, meaning, origin

Abstract

    The article analyses common names of human genitals used by Lithuanian medical doctors in the popularized medical writings (books, booklets and articles) of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The meanings of these names are identified based on the context of their use and other sources (the Academic Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language, anatomy literature), and the etymological sources are determined (colloquial, written and foreign languages). Questions of the relationship between endogenous and exogenous terms, creation of new terms, problematic meanings of some terms, connotations, terminologization, and euphemization are discussed.

Section
History of Terminology