Speaking and thinking in Latin: some dead languages are alive and thriving in some very modern disorders

As psychiatrists, we are hopefully especially attuned to the power of language, especially the words we use when discussing sensations, thoughts and bodies. This article explores some of the heritage of medical language of today, drawing on classical Latin and how this interfaces with our day-to-day...

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Main Author: Jane Whittaker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press
Series:BJPsych Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469425000208/type/journal_article
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author Jane Whittaker
author_facet Jane Whittaker
author_sort Jane Whittaker
collection DOAJ
description As psychiatrists, we are hopefully especially attuned to the power of language, especially the words we use when discussing sensations, thoughts and bodies. This article explores some of the heritage of medical language of today, drawing on classical Latin and how this interfaces with our day-to-day practice, with special reference to eating disorders.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2056-4694
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language English
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series BJPsych Bulletin
spelling doaj-art-c511eee7d3fa472195dae34260e24d5a2025-08-20T03:52:57ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Bulletin2056-46942056-47081410.1192/bjb.2025.20Speaking and thinking in Latin: some dead languages are alive and thriving in some very modern disordersJane Whittaker0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7619-7178Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester, UKAs psychiatrists, we are hopefully especially attuned to the power of language, especially the words we use when discussing sensations, thoughts and bodies. This article explores some of the heritage of medical language of today, drawing on classical Latin and how this interfaces with our day-to-day practice, with special reference to eating disorders.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469425000208/type/journal_articleHistory of psychiatryanorexia nervosaarts psychiatryfeeding or eating disordersphilosophy
spellingShingle Jane Whittaker
Speaking and thinking in Latin: some dead languages are alive and thriving in some very modern disorders
BJPsych Bulletin
History of psychiatry
anorexia nervosa
arts psychiatry
feeding or eating disorders
philosophy
title Speaking and thinking in Latin: some dead languages are alive and thriving in some very modern disorders
title_full Speaking and thinking in Latin: some dead languages are alive and thriving in some very modern disorders
title_fullStr Speaking and thinking in Latin: some dead languages are alive and thriving in some very modern disorders
title_full_unstemmed Speaking and thinking in Latin: some dead languages are alive and thriving in some very modern disorders
title_short Speaking and thinking in Latin: some dead languages are alive and thriving in some very modern disorders
title_sort speaking and thinking in latin some dead languages are alive and thriving in some very modern disorders
topic History of psychiatry
anorexia nervosa
arts psychiatry
feeding or eating disorders
philosophy
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469425000208/type/journal_article
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