Video: How to pronounce anatomy terms

Well, hello again! It’s Matt from Kenhub, and in this video, we will be discussing ways to learn correct pronunciation of anatomy terms. When learning anatomy, the student is given a list of terms that number in the thousands. It is of paramount importance that the structural names are repeated correctly for others to understand because anatomy is a subject whose clinical basis is communication. Without a sound knowledge of anatomy, almost no medical procedures, however great or small, can be correctly performed. When a medical professional is able to voice that knowledge correctly to the other members of a team, it helps ensure successful practice.

Pronunciation, or to pronounce, literally means speak distinctly with organs of speech. Before we know how to read, we can speak. This helps us because we are not learning words but rather learning what they look like in script form. In anatomy, however, there are many medical terms that aren't known and they are a mixture of Latin and Greek that are only known to a select few before studying them. This makes their pronunciation much more difficult, because we have never heard or spoken the word we can read. This video aims to help those who find the pronunciation of anatomy terms a challenge and to guide them with specific techniques that will make their studies much easier.

It is quite important to be aware of the fact that there are two main anatomical nomenclatures – English and Latin. Since this is an English article, the same techniques apply to both nomenclatures; however, pronunciation differs depending on the American and English accents. These differences are not big enough to be seen as a mistake due to the fact that the spelling is the same but when vocalized, the word can sound very different. People from countries like Germany, who primarily use the Latin nomenclature, will usually pronounce the word list in a German accent and that is fine.

Here is the sequence that is particularly effective for memorizing unknown words and those few words that you struggle to remember.

Number one: Scan the atlas. Since this is the first place you will encounter an unknown word, check out the page you are learning and see if there is anything you feel you don't know or that you read with difficulty or that you wouldn't be comfortable saying out loud in front of others.

Number two: Make a list. Once you have checked all the pages for that day's study, collect them together by writing a list. You can also do this in lectures or seminar if you hear something and want to look it up.

Number three: Find the phonetic spelling. Look up the correct pronunciation online at Kenhub.com by doing one of their interactive quizzes. There, you can actually hear each word and see it written for clarity. If the word you are looking for isn't there, check online via a good search engine or in a medical dictionary to see the phonetic spelling. Once you have found it, write it down next to the word and make sure you keep the list.

Number four: Make flashcards. The most effective way to learn these words are by making tiny flashcards. Write the word on the front and the phonetic spelling on the back. Spell out the word to yourself and then check it directly. After a few times, this should be easy.

Once you feel you have learned the unknown words and brushed up on your anatomy knowledge, test yourself at Kenhub.com to find any unknown weak spots in time for your exam so that your hard work pays off.