Valoda ārstē vai mulsina? Par mediķu valodu un tās īpatnībām

The article examines medical language as a multidimensional system at the intersection of science, professional communication, and culture. Drawing on theoretical sources and examples from clinical practice, it outlines five dominant layers of medical discourse – standardised terminology, abbreviations/acronyms, eponyms, metaphors, and professional slang – and analyses how they are formed and used. The study highlights typical pitfalls (polysemy, synonymy, ambiguous abbreviations, and inconsistent translations) and shows how terminological inconsistency can undermine patient understanding, trust, and adherence, thus affecting safety and clinical outcomes. Particular attention is paid to the ethical dimension of language use: clear, respectful, and empathetic communication fosters collaboration among professionals and strengthens the therapeutic relationship. Practical recommendations include developing internal glossaries, adopting explicit acronym policies (first-use expansion), choosing patient-appropriate metaphors, replacing opaque eponyms with transparent names, and standardising documentation language. The article also notes a research gap in Latvia regarding inclusive and plain-language practices in healthcare communication and argues for further, systematic investigation of these approaches.