Why is Latin used today for the vast majority of medical terms?
When all the modern sciences were being developed, the language of the educated (at least in Europe) was Latin. If you had any formal education at all, you were taught Latin, and you were probably taught by the clergy. Latin was the language of not only science and of the church but also of the legal system (including international diplomacy), and all three of these things have some rooting in the cultures of ancient Rome and Greece. The origins of our medical system (from the Hippocratic Oath to simple cleanliness) were greatly influenced by Classical civilization, and we really began moving towards modern medicine during the Renaissance, a period defined as a rebirth (the literal meaning of renaissance) in classical learning. for more detail on specific contributions, try these sites: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/med…
