Chemistry: “Helicoid Scoil” in the new textbooks – a new nomenclature for “problematic” compounds

People are concerned about “unconfirmed changes in the language” New textbooks Middle school chemistry. The change in the naming of chemical compounds has caused a social response, and the deans of the chemistry departments of six universities across the country have expressed strong opposition.

In a joint letter to the Hellenic Union of Chemists, the Institute for Educational Policy and the Hellenic Union of Chemists Ministry of EducationThe WRC noted that the changes were made in the context of harmonization with the nomenclature of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

Automatically translate English terms and names, such as sodium chloride and carbon dioxide

However, as the head of the chemistry department at a higher education institution said, “they follow the automatic translation of English terms without matching the English grammar with the Greek grammar”.

Sodium chloride and carbon dioxide

The matter has reportedly been brought to a meeting of all chemical departments across the country and is being discussed as a matter of urgency.

“The English rules and terminology recommended by IUPAC to the international chemical community led some groups of scientists involved in the preparation of new secondary school chemistry textbooks to adopt a word-for-word translation, without taking into account the specific linguistic/grammatical rules and peculiarities of the Greek language. In this case, names such as sodium chloride and carbon dioxide were introduced in the new book (instead of sodium chloride or sodium chloride and carbon dioxide, respectively), because an automatic translation of the English terms was followed, without conforming to English grammar, point out the chairmen of six chemistry departments, with a footnote that “in France and Spain, names compatible with the national language are used, such as dioxyde decarbone and dioxydo decarbono, respectively”.

They also point out that “the Greek nomenclature for chemical compounds has been harmonized with that proposed by IUPAC since 1988, following the adoption of a recommendation by a special committee of outstanding Greek chemists set up by the Hellenic Union of Chemists (EUC)” and that “it is clear that it needs updating, but any attempt at extensive updating would require the coordinated participation of the EEH and national chemistry departments and in no case the work of the members of the writing team”.

Correction of the suggestion for naming the chapter

They expressed strong concern that “this unprovoked change in the language of Greek chemical science will cut off generations of young students from their university professors and will sever the links between modern chemistry and the rest of the sciences of the country where they use experimental conditions in their writings and activities in line with IUPAC since 1988”, while “this change is expected to create serious labor and safety problems for Greek chemists, the chemical industry, suppliers of chemical compounds, as well as for EOF (National Pharmaceutical Organization) and AHS (Supreme Chemical Council) and will alienate the average Greek citizen from any chemical/energy/environmental knowledge and awareness he has acquired”.

Given these data, they recommend:

• Any updating of the Greek chemical nomenclature that requires harmonization with the one proposed by IUPAC should be done immediately, at the initiative of the Hellenic Union, following a proposal by a committee of outstanding Greek chemists (with the assistance of linguists, chemists and the participation of national chemical departments).
• Correction of chapters on terminology and terminology usage, such as the above mentioned in the new book (immediately or within a year’s time, during the evaluation and correction phase, in order to adopt tested terminology and in accordance with the linguistic/grammatical rules and peculiarities of the Greek language, according to the findings of the above mentioned committee).

The letter was signed by the deans of the chemistry departments of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Democritus University of Thrace, National and Kapodistria University of Athens, University of Ioannina, University of Crete and University of Patras.