Introduction

There are countless circumstances where true meaning has been lost in translation. Just

try typing a sentence into Google Translate, translating it into a couple other languages, and then

going back to English. It will not be the same sentence. The variety of language in the world can

be beautiful, but can also be extremely disruptive. It forces researchers to collaborate with others

in their own country instead of looking internationally to gather a team of the best experts. In the

medical world, that could mean we are missing out on potentially life-saving research due to a

language barrier. In addition, difference in language can prevent using research papers from

other countries which could provide valuable, time-saving information, in a field where saving

time means saving lives. I want to discover how we could create a universal medical language,

using Greek and Latin as my suggestion for that language.

In addition, I also want to discover why we don’t already have one. This starts with how

we ended up with so many different languages and the origins of language. We all have

synesthesia: connecting sounds to feelings, objects, people, places, and thoughts. Somehow, as a

race, we all decided to communicate through sounds from our mouths, but decided to do that in

many different ways. I want to discover where our differences in language came from in order to

overcome those differences for the good of our health.

Background

I want to study biomedical engineering in college, so this year I studied Latin and Greek

medical terminology for my language class to introduce myself to the medical side of it. Since

many languages come from Latin and Greek, they end up with similar medical terms, so I

wondered if it would be possible for all of them to have the same medical language. It seemed

extremely beneficial to me; doctors all over the world could be working on similar projects and
sharing information with each other, leading to more breakthroughs in the health industry. Then

doctors could work with the true best of their field, not just the best in their country. People who

come from different places tend to think differently, and maybe many different ways of thinking

are required to solve of the world’s biggest health problem. A universal language would allow

that to occur.

In the future, I plan to be working in the medical field, and being able to talk to the

leading experts in what I’m working on, no matter where they live, could be the difference that

saves a life. Everyone benefits from medical advancements, so a language that allows for more

to happen would help everyone.

Context

There have been another attempts to create a universal language. Most of them, as well as

the discussions about them, came about during the late 19th century. Many artificial languages

were created, but did not succeed in their goal. During that time, there was talk of reviving Latin

to do the job as the artificial languages failed, but it was never completed.

In 1887, Dr. L. L. Zamenhof created Esperanto to be a universal second language. It

currently has about 2 million speakers around the world. It didn’t become truly universal because

there just weren’t enough people willing to learn it to make the unwilling have to learn it. If there

had been a large number of people who wanted to learn it to use in international business,

politics, etc., then those who didn’t want to learn a new language would have had to for

economic purposes. However, since it is smaller, usually only people who want to travel a lot

and meet other Esperanto speakers decide to learn it.

Internal Experts and Resources

 I have been meeting with Dr. Vieron to discuss the Latin and Greek aspects of my

research. Before beginning my research, he was already helping me learn the Latin and Greek

medical terminology by providing me with books and other resources. He helps me to develop

what the language itself will actually look like and how to use Latin and Greek in it. I received

more information from him about how Latin and Greek were used in the creation of English that

could help me use the languages in the creation of the medical language. He has also introduced

me to De Rerum Natura, in which Lucretius talks about the origins of language.

External Experts and Resources

I have talked to Dr. Jessica Alexander, who specializes in cognitive psychology. She

helped me understand more about the origins of language and how closely related culture and

language are. She introduced me to Esperanto and explained how one of the reasons people

didn’t learn it was because there was no culture behind it. She also explained how language was

created through necessity as we started to live in more complex social groups. Once humans

starting spreading out, more dialects were created that eventually grew into completely different

languages if the group or groups were isolated from the rest. After talking to her, I better

understand the social and political aspects of creating a new language.

Timeline

I have completed all of my research, unless I begin work and find that I need more

information. The next step is to finalize my thesis. I currently have it in question form: “How can

we create a universal medical language using Latin and Greek?” I need to turn it into a claim that

I can argue in my written component. Once I have my thesis, I will create an outline of the

written component by March 12, which will detail my argument and how I will use my research

to make that argument. There will be a peer review session to further develop it. On March 29, I
should have finished any additional research I need and added it to my bibliography, and I will

complete process reflection 2. I will have a completed draft of the written component ready for

peer review on April 5, which I will revise by April 12 for another peer review. I will have a

draft of my artifact by April 25 so that I can present my progress in class. By May 3, I should be

finishing up the project. My portfolio website will have my written component, bibliography,

proposals, process reflections, reports on my experts, and an artifact progress report. By May 10,

everything will be done except for presenting it at the symposium, so I will have my portfolio

website completed and my artifact completed, as well as process reflection 3. I will practice my

presentation the week of May 14 and present at the symposium on May 21.

Annotated Bibliography

KELLOGG, B. “THE ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE.” The College Courant, vol. 6, no. 21, 1870,

pp. 344–346. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/44108215.

We know that the extensive languages we have today came from a simpler one when we

first started speaking. However, we are not sure how that first language began. There are

three theories that explain how the first words could have come about. The first is based

off of involuntary responses, like shouting in pain, and then whatever caused the sound

would be named that. The second is that whatever sound the thing made would become

its name. The third is that we consciously assigned names to things based on our

instincts, which we have lost now because it is no longer necessary.

This source explores many possibilities to how the first language was created, so it gives me a

wider view. It is more objective; it doesn't argue for one of the theories like other sources do, so

it allows me to consider each possibility equally.

Kent, Roland G. “Latin as the International Auxiliary Language.” The Classical Journal, vol. 18,
 no. 1, 1922, pp. 38–44. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3289002.

The author makes the argument that Latin should be the international secondary

language. One is necessary for trade and communication between scholars to make it

possible to exchange ideas and better understand each other. Latin has easy

pronunciation, is easy to speak and understand, and is precise in expression. It is already

close to an international language between its modern forms and its importance in

science.

This source brings unique arguments to why Latin would make a good international

language. It provides me with new reasoning for my argument that it should be the

international medical language and builds on some of my own thoughts. I can also

expand some of the arguments made to further my opinion.

Lucretius Carus, Titus. Lucretius: De Rerum Natura v. Translated by Monica Gale, Warminster,

Aris & Phillips, 2009.

Lucretius based his understanding of how our language developed on how other animals

behave. Animals know when they are born how to use their powers – claws, teeth, wings

– so humans should have known how to use their vocals. Also, if animals can create

sounds that they understand to mean danger, pain, joy, etc., then humans could definitely

do that and further develop it. He also believed that there could not have been one person

assigning names to things because if one person could do it, then other people could as

well, and without language, no one could have demanded enough authority to be in

charge of language.

This source gave me a different perspective on the origin of language since it came from

a different time period than the rest of my sources. It was also written before many
 modern languages existed, in the language that many of them are based on, which makes

it even more unique.

Pike, Joseph B. “Can Latin Be Revived as an International Scientific Language?” The Classical

Journal, vol. 14, no. 1, 1918, pp. 48–55. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3288192.

This source explains how Latin would be a good choice for an international language.

The requirements for an international language, as defined by the Paris Exhibition, are as

follows: easily adapted for daily life, commerce, science, and philosophy; easy to learn;

and not a current international language. Only artificial languages can meet those criteria,

but they have failed. Latin fits all but easy to learn. The author argues that Greek can be

used to create new words to update it to modern times and that it is already in scientific

use, so it would be a good choice for an international scientific language.

Since the main argument is that Latin should be used as an international scientific

language, it is very close to the topic of my project. Therefore, it provides more specific

information. Some of the arguments made could also be used in my project or be changed

slightly to relate closer to my topic.

TUPPER, FREDERIC ALLISON. “LATIN AS THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.” The Journal

of Education, vol. 38, no. 16 (941), 1893, pp. 267–268. JSTOR, JSTOR,

www.jstor.org/stable/44039003.

Latin would be a good universal language for many reasons. First, many people have

already been studying it, and it is currently being taught in many schools. Second, it is

already the language of science, so it is already universal in one aspect. In addition, it is

the building blocks for many modern languages. Latin is a "smart" language; it has lots of

patterns and is more unambiguous.

 An important part of my project will be convincing my audience that it is possible to get

the world to use Latin for medicine. The information this source supplies on all the

different countries that have a Latin-based language will help me make the argument

those countries would be willing to accept Latin as the medical language, and if that

many large countries are doing it, then the rest will have to join as well.

Bibliography

Campbell, Gordon Lindsay. Lucretius on Creation and Evolution: A Commentary on 'De Rerum

Natura', Book Five, Lines 772-1104. Oxford, Oxford UP, 2008.

Jastrow, Joseph. “The Evolution of Language.” Science, vol. 7, no. 176, 1886, pp. 555–557.

JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1761264.

Paetow, Louis John. “Latin as a Universal Language.” The Classical Journal, vol. 15, no. 6,

1920, pp. 340–349. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3288246.

Ullman, Berthold L. “Our Latin-English Language.” The Classical Journal, vol. 18, no. 2, 1922,

pp. 82–90. JSTOR, JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3289139.