Ancient Languages, Modern Terminology: Bridging the Gap between Classics/Classicists and Modern Medicine

Oct. 7-11, 2024

Department of History, Classics, and Religion

Cover image: Skeletons and bones, including the skeleton of a foetus (?). Line engraving by H. Winkles under the direction of J.G. Heck, 1830/1845. Wellcome Collection.

Classics and Medicine might seem like worlds apart but in fact we both speak the same language. The Department of History, Classics and Religion at the University of Alberta has invited Dr Stephen Russell (McMaster University's Department of Greek and Roman Studies) to talk about why the language of medicine is of interest to all classicists, why Latinists belong in the discussion of Latin anatomical language, and how an understanding of the roots of ancient Greek and Latin will make learning medical language so much easier for students. Both talks are free and open to the public.

This event is sponsored by an Ancient Worlds, Modern Communities grant from the Society for Classical Studies.

For more information, please contact the organizers, Dr Kelly MacFarlane and Dr Amanda Hardman

Dr. Stephen Russell

Dr. Stephen Russell received his PhD in Classics in 2011, with a focus on Latin literature and poetry. Since 2012, he has been teaching and researching medical language at McMaster University. His terminology courses (both introductory and advanced) have become the most successful ones in the country, with six other major Canadian universities currently following his approach of being “radically practical” in teaching medical language.

For more on Dr Russell's approach to the teaching of medical language, see "How a 'radically practical' Greek and Latin course helps future health-care workers."

Dr Russell is also an active researcher in medical terminology, and has presented at several international nomenclature conferences. For more on his work with anatomical language, see "Analysis: New language guidelines for anatomy aim to improve clarity, but they could reduce understanding instead."

Dr Kelly MacFarlane and Dr Amanda Hardman both teach CLASS 291: Introduction to Scientific Terminology, guided by Dr Russell's "radically practical" philosophy and methodology. Dr Hardman will be teaching CLASS 291 in the winter term 2025.

This talk will include hands-on interactive opportunities for students to win copies of Dr Russell's textbook, The Anatomy of Medical Terminology (donated by Dr Russell and Radix Antiqua Press, and used in UAlberta's CLASS 291: Introduction to Scientific Terminology)

(image of the George Stubb's etching of a running skeleton courtesy of the Royal Academy and used under a Creative Commons Licence)

This talk will discuss Greek v Latin medical nomenclature and recent debates about the use of Latin within anatomical nomenclature.

(image of the skeleton courtesy of the Science Museum Group and used under a Creative Commons License)

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