Week 3 – Discussion Board 2

[Art Liebl]

Why, as a medical interpreter, would it be helpful to know and understand the suffixes and prefixes used in medical terminology? Reply to two fellow students by Monday.

[Betty Oliver-Pinto]

As a medical interpreter it is important to understand the suffixes and prefixes as they are puzzle pieces to build the meaning of the word with the root word. It is important to know these due to the fact that prefixes and suffixes change the meaning of the word.

By knowing the prefix meaning it will help you to identify the location or the amount for instant brady means fast and supra mean above or beyond. It is important to know these because just one or two letters of a prefix can change the meaning of the complete word. It is also important to know that not all will have a prefix so we need to be careful not to mistake the root word for a prefix.

It is important to understand suffixes because the suffix generally will turn the root word into a diagnosis or medical procedure. It is important to know this because it will also change the meaning of the root word just as the prefix will.

It is very important to know the prefixes and suffixes so that we are able to interpret the word correctly. If we do not know these or if we misunderstand the meaning it can and will change the meaning of the whole word. As an interpreter it is important to study these and get to know them if for some reason we should mistake or confuse then it would be of great asset to ask the provider to give you a definition. This will help you to interpret correctly and give the patient the wrong information.

[Angela Mayfield]

I could agree more, just looking at them and reading some is in fact like pizzle peices and important for sure.

[Alexandra Chavarriaga]

i like the reference to thinking of it like a puzzle, because even if you do not know the complete meaning you can figure out the message by the prfix and suffix. as interpreters sometimes knowing the meaning is far more important than knowing the literal translation

[Miriam Kelly]

I couldn’t agree more with comprehending the meaning being more important than the literal interpretation. Ironically, sometimes the literal interpretation doesn’t make sense or sometimes conveys the opposite meaning.

[Sara Abbasova]

Hi Betty,

It can definitely feel like a puzzle sometimes. As interpreters, we should help the patient to put this puzzle together so they are able to understand and receive the correct information.

[Miriam Kelly]

It would be very helpful for medical interpreters to understand the suffixes and prefixes used in medical terminology because they are in the medical field. I don’t mean the medical field as in medical professionals, i.e., doctors and nurses, but they’re dealing with situations that involve these terms. Instead of memorizing so many difficult terms, they can break down the meanings by understanding prefixes and suffixes. Of course, it is best to know as much as possible, but no one can know everything. Knowing this information can help interpreters decipher meanings of words that they might not know, remember, or recognize right away. Interpreters are quickly interpreting spoken word, so there is no time to consult to dictionary. Considering that, I would say learning prefixes and suffixes in medical terminology is a lifesaver. Once translators become good at that, it’s probably a good idea to learn a little bit about morphology. Sure, it is very helpful to know prefixes and suffixes, but it is more important to know what the root word means and how it relates to the other parts. Morphology is a separate profession in itself, and no one needs to be an expert in it to be an interpreter. I am simply suggesting getting some background in it. Besides that, I think people who are native speakers of a Latin language (or Greek) sometimes have an advantage when it comes to a lot of scientific terms being that those terms tend to directly come from those languages.

[Angela Mayfield]

I do feel this is all a great learning lesson and it will be continuous as you go further in your career.

[Betty Oliver-Pinto]

Medical terminology can be difficult at times with the prefixes and suffixes it helps us to better understand if it a location, diagnosis or procedure.

[Cynthia Rodriguez]

Hi Miriam, I agree that it is important to break these words down as many can be very difficult or overwhelming when heard, but when you break it down it helps you better understand the terminology.

[Sara Abbasova]

Hi Miriam, I like what you said about memorization of hard terms and breaking down words. Sometimes medical professionals can use big words that seem difficult and scary for a person, but as medical interpreters, we should be able to break it down and explain it to them in a way that they can understand and feel more at ease. Also, it’s hard to memorize so many difficult words, by knowing these prefixes and suffixes, it takes away some of the difficulty from it.

[Angela Mayfield]

Medical terminology allows all medical professionals to understand each other and communicate effectively. When everyone understands what a condition, medicine, or procedure is, they are able to fulfill their roles accordingly, whether that is delivering medicine or billing for a medicine.Prefixes are located at the beginning of a medical term. The prefix alters the meaning of the medical term. It is important to spell and pronounce prefixes correctly. Many prefixes that you find in medical terms are common to English language prefixes.Medical terminology can look and sound complex, but it’s important to be able to break words down and understand their roots, prefixes and suffixes to prevent any misunderstandings or errors. Mistakes and misunderstandings can be life-threatening, that is the importance of medical terminology.The best way to succeed successfully as a medical interpreter is to learn and understand the medical terms and have the appropriate pronunciations. When speaking aforegn language, you really have to get into it. The same goes for medical terminology.

[Miriam Kelly]

How long have you been working within the medical field? Do you have a method you recommend for memorizing or studying terms? I am curious since I am new, and I am looking to find different ways of tackling challenges.

[Betty Oliver-Pinto]

Medical terminology is like another language in itself that is spoken by medical professionals it is important as a medical interpreter to understand as you will be interpreting the language into a common language for your patient.

[Soila Morales]

A medical Prefix is defined as the beginning of a medical term. The prefix alters the meaning of the medical term. It is important to spell and pronounce prefixes correctly. Many prefixes that you find in medical terms are common to English language prefixes. The word Prefix begins with a Prefix which is Pre-and means before or in front of, the root of the word is Fix that means attach or fasten.

Some basic examples are:

1.Prefix: Dis-

*Meaning: Apart, away from.

*Example: Dissect, Cut up.

2. Prefix: Hyper-

*Meaning: Above, Beyond, High.

*Example: Hypertension.

A Suffix is defined as word parts that are located at the end of words. Suffixes can alter the meaning of medical terms. It is important to spell and pronounce suffixes correctly.

Suffixes in medical terms are common to English language suffixes. Suffixes are not always explicitly stated in the definition of a word. It is common that suffixes will not be explicitly stated when defining a medical term in the workplace. However, when transcribing or reading medical reports the suffix is always clearly written. In order to properly spell and pronounce medical terms, it is helpful to learn the suffixes.

Some basic examples are:

1. Suffix: -Aemia

*Meaning: Blood Condition.

*Example: Leukemia + Anemia

2. Suffix: -cidal, -cide

*Meaning: Killing, Destroying

*Example: Suicide + Suicidal

It is important to be able to break words down and understand their roots, prefixes and suffixes to prevent any misunderstandings or errors.

Mistakes and misunderstandings can be life-threatening, that is the importance of medical terminology.

[Betty Oliver-Pinto]

Nicely demonstrated help us all have a better understanding.

[Cynthia Rodriguez]

Hi Soila, I like how you broke it down with examples of what they mean. Like you mentioned it is important that we understand and can break down these words.

[Cynthia Rodriguez]

I believe it would be helpful to know the prefixes and suffixes used in medical terminology because you will have a better understanding of what some of the terms means and how to use them in context. The term suffix means attached to the end of the word. While the term prefix means attached to the front of a word. Understanding the suffixes and prefixes I believe will help give you a good foundation for medical terminology. Understanding some of these terms will help guide the interpreter of what the conversation might look like and what type of medical terminology one might end up using and help you prep for what you need to interpret. Having a good understanding is also important in order to avoid any mistakes or confusions and making sure you are interpreting the correct information, because any change in wording can cause a mistake or miscommunication. That way if the client has any questions or you have to interpret a medical term back to the doctor or nurse, then you have the understanding of the word.

[Sara Abbasova]

Medical Terminology can get quite complicated for some. In a lot of languages, most medical abbreviations and terminology are very similar. By knowing the medical terminology, you can translate directly for the person what the doctor is saying because they might know what their condition is called in their language but maybe not in English.
If they don’t know, by having a basic understanding of medical terminology, you can break down the terms for an easier understanding.

It’s important to break words down and understand their roots, prefixes, and suffixes to prevent any misunderstandings or errors that can be life-threatening. Some suffixes can be easily confused due to similar pronunciation, meaning, or appearance.

Suffix is added to the end of a word root or combining form to modify the meaning, write nouns, adjectives and verbs. In a medical sense, a suffix may indicate a disorder, disease, condition or procedure.

Prefix is a syllable placed at the beginning of a word root or work to change the meaning or create an entirely new word. It may indicate time, measurement and numbers, negation or position.

[Author]

Posts