Birth of Scientific Reading Section Answers Sample Passage
A. Scientific discoveries need a suitable channel, like research publications, to reach the public. Today, numerous journals and magazines on the internet contain almost the entire scientific database. Most of these international journals have English as their primary language. The birth of scientific English has opened the doors for innovative and cutting- edge research to cross several borders. However, the inclusion of this language in publishing science-based work has an exciting story. Before the 17th century, Latin was the most important language for European researchers and intellectuals. In fact, no one knew how to write scientific work in English.
B. In the period from the 14th to the 16th century, the European Renaissance was instrumental in motivating individuals to explore various aspects of human civilization. During this tenure, European states indulged in the revival of learning. These nations invested in exploring trade and linguistic knowledge. The curiosity amongst scholars led to an expansion of revolution in the scientific sector. This renewed interest was pivotal in the birth of scientific English beyond the European continent to countries like America and India. However, popularizing this international language was a result of discoveries like magnetism. For instance, the theory of magnetism led to the invention of the compass. This equipment proved as a catalyst in the birth of scientific English.
C. During this phase, theories of astronomy, one of the most important scientific revolutions, found its linguistic channel through English. In addition, theories like the movement of Earth with respect to the stars and the planets, which Copernicus developed in the period 1473 to 1543, ramped up the birth of scientific English profoundly. The credit for the increasing popularity of English has to be given to England. The scholars of this country adopted Copernican ideas and implemented them in their scientific culture. Two of the most notable names in this process were John Wallis and John Wilkins. The duo contributed by facilitating the establishment of the Royal Society around 1660. The aim was simple. This society was formulated to promote empirical scientific findings and research.
D. The birth of scientific English gained momentum with the formation of similar European societies. Until the mid-17th century, scientific writings were not available in English. Material like textbooks, encyclopedias, translations, and other popular discoveries was published in respective native languages like English. It was Newton who published his work on Optics (properties of light) in English. Before this release, he published Principia, the well-known mathematical treatise in Latin. Researchers across Europe were highly inclined towards releasing their work in Latin. The reasons for this persuasion were simple. Across the globe, scholars, scientists, and intellectuals preferred Latin as the apt tongue for studying scientific discoveries. On the contrary, English was popular amongst the local audience and the general public. As a result, only popular science was written in English. Another vital aspect of using Latin as the scientific language was related to secrecy and confidentiality.
E. For instance, some scientists used to put forth ideas that weren't concretely implemented in the real world. Presenting such concepts in English could dispose of such secret and sensitive information to the local audience. Hence, the birth of scientific English took considerable time. During the mid-17th century, the concept of Intellectual Property Rights became quite prevalent in the scientific community. Researchers were cautious in publishing their original work, which was a result of intense hard work. Also, there was a concern about the commercial exploitation of scientific discoveries and concepts. On the social front, Latin was considered to be more suitable for scholars, intellectuals, and gentlemen. Since this language wasn't highly popular amongst the masses, releasing technical and innovative material had a great probability of reaching only the 'knowledgeable' audience. Notably, the use of Latin and obscure languages were common among Mathematicians. They intended to keep their discoveries confidential and wrote their work in ciphers. These ciphers were deposited in a sealed box under the confinements of the Royal Society. Even Doctors considered Latin to be an 'insider language.'
F. The birth of scientific English also took considerable time due to the lack of technical vocabulary. This language wasn't highly evolved during the 17th century. It also had limited grammatical resources to present scientific ideas and discuss empirical relations. In 1664, members of the Royal Society established a publication in English. This decision was taken to encourage linguistic reach for a wider public. Gradually, researchers published monographs in English. In 1665, Robert Hooke used scientific English to explain his microscopic experiments in his work, 'Micrographia.' Soon, in the same year, the journal, 'Philosophical Transactions' came into existence. This publication was perhaps the foundation of the birth of scientific English. Notably, it contained short and concise accounts of certain experiments during that era.
G. The growth of scientific English wasn't an exponential phenomenon. Soon, Germany became a leading source of scientific discoveries. As a result, the European continent witnessed German as a major language of science. By the end of the 18th century, there were approximately 400 German scientific journals. On the other hand, there were only 50 active journals in England. The birth of scientific English is thus similar to a seesaw. First, it faced a strong challenge from Latin. Next, it had its own grammatical limitations. The rise of Germany as a major location for scientific discoveries also halted its widespread utility. However, the Industrial Revolution proved instrumental in creating a new vocabulary, giving rise to professional societies. Hence, from the 19th century, scientific English became a widely used-language in the scholar community.
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