Abstract
Background
German used to be frequently employed in Japanese obstetric and gynecologic (OBGYN) practice; however, it is now less frequently used. Description and analysis of this situation may shed some light on the change of OBGYN practice and education in Japan, which may at least partly hold true to counties other than Japan.
Methods
Three eras were classified according to the relationship between German and Japanese OBGYN, with each era characterized. Frequently used German words in Japanese OBGYN practice were described as examples.
Results
German words have become less frequently used with each successive generation.
Conclusions
Even though English may suffice in practical OBGYN practice, German usage will still be passed on to these new generations.
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Abbreviations
- OBGYN:
-
Obstetrics and gynecology
References
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Klemperer G (1898) The elements of clinical diagnosis. Macmillan Co. Ltd., London. https://archive.org/details/elementsofclinic00klem. Accessed 21 Dec 2017 (German and English)
Harrison TR (2016) Harrison’s principal of internal medicine, 1st edn (1950), 19th edn (2016). McGraw Hill, New York. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison%27s_Principles_of_Internal_Medicine. Accessed 21 Dec 2017
Acknowledgements
I thank Tsugio Mimuro (Professor Emeritus of Seijo University, Tokyo, Japan) for his advice.
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SM: identification of the significance. Manuscript writing.
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The author has no conflicts of interest regarding this article.
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This article does not contain any studies involving human participants or animals performed by Shigeki Matsubara.
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Matsubara, S. German words: still used by Japanese obstetrics and gynecology doctors. Arch Gynecol Obstet 297, 555–557 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-4667-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-4667-y