A Terminological Framework for SelectingLatin Medical and Pharmaceutical Termsfor a Latin-Kyrgyz Dictionary in MedicalEducation

Abstract

Introduction: Medical and pharmaceutical communication relies on standardized Latin-rooted terminology to support clinical documentation, education, patient safety, and evidence-based practice, especially in multilingual settings. In Kyrgyzstan, despite the centrality of Latin in early training, comprehensive Latin-Kyrgyz resources for beginners are lacking. This study aimed to validate the criteria for selecting Latin medical and
pharmaceutical terms for a Latin-Kyrgyz educational dictionary. Materials and Methods: Using a descriptive lexicographic design (2024), we collected terms from international nomenclatures, textbooks, dictionaries,
and the peer-reviewed literature. Terms were screened for professional relevance, Latin usage, and Kyrgyz equivalents, and obsolete or insignificant items were excluded. Five criteria were applied: Frequency, thematic relevance, functional importance, educational integration, and interlingual correspondence, all supported by linguistic assessment and comparative translation analysis. Pilot feedback was used to assess the practicality of the intervention. Results: Of the 1,246 extracted items, 842 met the inclusion criteria, and 612 were retained. Anatomical terms predominated (41.8%), followed by clinical (33.0%) and pharmaceutical (25.2%); 78.6% appeared in three or more sources, and 62.4% occurred across two or more disciplines, indicating strong curricular integration. Interlingual analysis showed that 89.1% had direct Kyrgyz equivalents, while 10.9% required descriptive translation, highlighting the need for standardization. The resulting first Latin-Kyrgyz dictionary for Kyrgyz medical students provides structured entries with grammatical information and usage examples. Conclusion: The validated criteria offer a reproducible framework for bilingual lexicography, with implications for improving terminology acquisition. Future studies should quantify the educational impact and expand the coverage of emerging biomedical terminology.