Stylistic classification of the english vocabulary

E. Scientific Prose Style

The first and the most noticeable feature of scientific prose style is the logical sequence of utterances. There is a developed system of connectives in this style.

A second and no less important feature of this style is the use of terms specific to each given branch of science. Due to the rapid dissemination of scientific and technical ideas, particularly in exact sciences, we may observe the process of "de-terminization", that is, some scientific and technical terms begin to circulate outside the narrow field they belong to begin to develop new meanings. But the majority of terms do not undergo this process of de-termi- nization and remain the property of scientific prose. The necessity to penetrate deeper into the essence of things and phenomena gives rise to new concepts, which require new words to name them. Words employed in scientific prose are mostly used in their primary logical meaning.

Neutral and common literary words used in scientific prose as terms are followed by an explanation.

A third feature of modern scientific prose is the use of quotations and references. References have definite compositional pattern, namely, the name of the writer referred to, the title of the work quoted, the publishing ho­use, the place and year it was published, and the page of the excerpt quoted or referred to.

A fourth feature of scientific style is the frequent use of foot-notes^

The impersonality of scientific writings can also be considered a typical feature of this style. Impersonal pas­sive constructions are frequently used with the verbs sup­pose, presume, assume, conclude, point out, infer, etc., as in "It should be pointed out", "It must not be assumed", "It must be emphasized", "It can be inferred", etc.

The passive constructions frequently used in the sci­entific prose of the exact sciences are not indispensable in the Humanities.

Emotiveness is not entirely excluded from scientific prose. Yet in modern scientific prose such emotional words as marvelous, wonderful, monstrous, magnificent, brilliant are very seldom used. At least they are not cons­tituents of modern scientific style.