Morphologically complex nouns in English Scientific Texts after Empiricism

Abstract

The present paper aims at providing a new viewpoint on the development of scientific writing as regards its lexicon following the introduction of the scientific method in England. Although it will not provide universally valid evidence, new vocabulary formations (in nouns) will be examined in order to ascertain whether the morphological processes in these special languages behave the same way across the different scientific disciplines and levels of formality of texts or if, on the contrary, each adapts to the needs of its particular type of users (intended audience). Samples of texts pertaining to the eighteenth-century disciplines of astronomy and medicine have been studied. The differences observed in morphological behaviour will be accounted for resorting to several extra-linguistic factors so that a vision of the scientific register as a non-monolithic entity can be offered.