Scientific & Technical Texts: Language and Vocabulary

Scientific & Technical Texts

The scientific and technical texts: seek to understand aspects of reality (nature, society, etc.) based on observation and experimentation. They rely on the techniques, resources and procedures that serve science in its application. Scientific texts transmit verified and proven knowledge; technical texts present the practical applications of science.

Purpose of Scientific Texts

The purpose of scientific texts is not simply to inform or persuade; science also aims to change knowledge or the previous view of reality. Technical texts are informative but may also have a managerial or instructional nature when they explain how to apply a particular technique.

Features — Exposition of Knowledge

Characteristic features include:

• Objective and coherent presentation of concepts and ideas.
• Predominant use of denotative language with a referential function.
• Dominant sequences of exposition and development; in technical texts, directive or instructive sequences also appear.
• Abundance of specific terms or monosémie words with a univocal sense.

Registers

• Highly specialized register: uses very specialized language aimed exclusively at specialists in the field.
• General register: presents language more accessible to a non-specialized receiver.

Linguistic Resources

These texts make use of observations, objective exposition, hypotheses, experiments and conclusions expressed with clarity and precision. Textual composition tends to be orderly and concise, although complex sentences can appear. Predominantly declarative sentences in the third person are used to explain phenomena and processes objectively.

• Frequent use of passive constructions.
• Presence of textual organizers and cohesive devices.
• Use of explanations and examples (for example, rather, in particular...).
• Connectors (in contrast, however, therefore, etc.).
• Inclusion of non-verbal codes (photographs, charts, diagrams).

Scientific and Technical Vocabulary

The jargon is the most characteristic linguistic resource of scientific and technical texts. Types of vocabulary include:

• Cultisms: terms from Latin and Greek.
• Borrowings: from other modern languages (software, scanner, etc.).
• Acronyms: abbreviations formed from initial letters (e.g., DNA, CPU).
• Specialized uses: of common words (computer mouse, website).
• Derived words: compound or derived terms (air conditioning, click).