There are certain categories of jargon that almost require their own dictionary of terms in order to become well versed. The language used in the military as well as the technical writings of a software company are often like that. However, there are some exceptions where even if a jargon had its own dictionary, it would still pose numerous difficulties because the words contained in it are often lengthy and complicated. The terminology used to name dinosaurs and medical terms are great examples of these.
Unlike the military, which has a tendency to abbreviate and often condense phrases down to a matter of letters, the words used to describe different dinosaur species can reach up to 23 letters in length. The longest dinosaur name is Micropachycephalosaurus, followed closely behind by the 19 letter long Carcharodontosaurus. If a person were expected to memorize all the technical names of the dinosaurs, this would be quite the feat without a photographic memory. It is puzzling that dinosaurs are not named more simply, especially since they are usually the topic of fascination for seven to ten year old children. It would be much simpler if they followed the pattern of putting together a place with a simpler name. For example, a Benchmade Griptilian. Talking about a Benchmade Griptilian would be memorable to a young person and manageable for the older as well. There are numerous pictures regarding the gripping claws, lizard like eyes and speedy predatory sense that come to mind when a Benchmaed Griptilian is referenced. It is not that uncommon to use a place with a simpler name when discussing things. The Eastern Australian Current, English Greyhound and Canadian Mountie are all based on such a pattern. Having dinosaurs follow suit would make them much easier to remember and allow for fun names such as the Benchmade Griptilian.
When it comes to complicated jargon though, as complicated as dinosaurs may seem, they are simplistic compared to medical terminology. The longest word in the medical field is of the chemical name of the largest known protein. It is 189,819 letter long. The medical field also claims the longest word that is found in a major dictionary at 45 letters long. It is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. And to add a sense of irony to the entire idea, the third longest word is the word for having a fear of long words: hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia. As if that weren’t enough, the medical field also claims the fourth longest word that is in a major dictionary: pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism. There are some coined words such as the famous supercalifragilisticexpialidocious from Mary Poppins, but these do note appear in the major dictionaries and is more of a cultural reference that is widely recognized.
If a person were to attempt to learn all of these words, it seems it would take them years to do so. In a few ways the medical field has adopted some of the military’s tendencies to abbreviate words. This has lead to better ease at memorizing and remembering the content, but also results in a language that sounds foreign even when spoken slowly. Though it is recognizable that there are patterns in the English language and rules for pronunciation and etymology, the question arises as to whether these extra complicated terms are really necessary or not. Numerous medical students find the sheer volume of terms overwhelming as they attempt to memorize them for mid-terms and finals. It is enough to make even the most experienced professionals’ head spin. Becoming well versed in the jargon for dinosaur names and medical terms takes much effort and many hours of dedication on the part of those undertaking such a task. This is one area where those with eidetic and photographic memories have a significant advantage.
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