Vocabulary: Academic & Formal Vocabulary (C1) - Lesson 8: Subject-Specific Terminology for Advanced Study or Professional Fields

Lesson 8: Subject-Specific Terminology

The Language of Your Profession or Field of Study

While general academic vocabulary (like the AWL) is essential, true expertise in a field is demonstrated by mastering its specific terminology. Every academic discipline and professional field has its own unique lexicon. This lesson will showcase examples from several fields, not for you to memorize them all, but to provide a model for how you can explore and master the vocabulary that is most important to your own career and studies.

Key Vocabulary

• Terminology (noun) | បច្ចេកសព្ទ
  The special words or phrases that are used in a particular field.
• Discipline (noun) | វិញ្ញាសា
  A particular area of study, especially a subject in a college or university.
• Lexicon (noun) | វាក្យសព្ទ
  The vocabulary of a person, language, or branch of knowledge.

Example Lexicon 1: Medicine & Healthcare

• Diagnosis (n.)
  The identification of the nature of an illness by examination of the symptoms.
  Ex: "The doctor's diagnosis was a common viral infection."
• Prognosis (n.)
  The likely course of a medical condition.
  Ex: "With the new treatment, the patient's prognosis is excellent."
• Chronic (adj.)
  (Of an illness) persisting for a long time or constantly recurring.
  Ex: "He suffers from chronic back pain."

Example Lexicon 2: Law & Jurisprudence

• Litigation (n.)
  The process of taking legal action.
  Ex: "The company is facing litigation from its former employees."
• Precedent (n.)
  An earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances.
  Ex: "The judge's decision set a new legal precedent."
• To stipulate (v.)
  To demand or specify a requirement, typically as part of a bargain or agreement.
  Ex: "The contract stipulates that all work must be completed by December."

Example Lexicon 3: Computer Science & IT

• Algorithm (n.)
  A process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or other problem-solving operations, especially by a computer.
  Ex: "The search engine uses a complex algorithm to rank websites."
• Scalability (n.)
  The capacity of a system to handle a growing amount of work by adding resources.
  Ex: "We need to ensure the scalability of our app as our user base grows."
• Latency (n.)
  The delay before a transfer of data begins following an instruction for its transfer.
  Ex: "Gamers in rural Cambodia often complain about high latency."

Discourse in Action: An Interdisciplinary Meeting

Imagine a lawyer, a doctor, and an IT consultant discussing the launch of a new healthcare app.

Lawyer: "My main concern is potential litigation. The terms of service must stipulate exactly how user data is handled to avoid setting a dangerous legal precedent."

Doctor: "From a medical perspective, the app's primary function must be accurate symptom analysis to provide a preliminary diagnosis. The long-term prognosis for patients with chronic conditions could be greatly improved."

IT Consultant: "Understood. The diagnostic algorithm is our top priority. We are also building the system with future growth in mind to ensure scalability and minimize server latency."

Check Your Understanding

1. A doctor's prediction about the likely course of an illness is called the...
   • a) Diagnosis
   • b) Prognosis
   • c) Algorithm
   Answer: b) Prognosis

2. An early legal case that serves as an example for future cases is known as a...
   • a) Precedent
   • b) Litigation
   • c) Stipulation
   Answer: a) Precedent

3. A tech company wants its app to handle millions of users in the future. They are most concerned with...
   • a) Latency
   • b) The algorithm
   • c) Scalability
   Answer: c) Scalability

Your Mission

1. Identify Your Lexicon: Choose your most important professional or academic field. In your notebook, write down three key specialized terms in English that someone outside your field might not understand.
2. Define Your Term: For ONE of the terms you listed above, write a clear definition in simple English. Then, write a natural sentence using the term, as if you were explaining it to a colleague.
3. The Expert Challenge: Find an English-language article, video, or podcast made for professionals in your domain. Your mission is to find ONE piece of subject-specific terminology that you are not 100% familiar with. Use the context and a dictionary to create a "deep learning" note for it.