Abstract

Technical and scientific terms originate from many different sources. Among the most common are foreign language root words, names of originators, inventors and discoverers, names of common shapes, names of functions, acronyms, arbitrary labels, anonymous folk coinages and labels given by advertisers and public relations people. Numerous examples can be found of each of these. The usefulness and viability of technical and scientific terms is dependent upon the amount and kind of information contained within the term itself and the suitability of that information for the situation in which the term is used. The usefulness and viability of such terms is also dependent upon the terms' mnemonic qualities and upon their having the right ring or onomatopoeia. Although such effects are not entirely predictable or controllable, attention to them can nonetheless lead to more effective naming in science and technology.