How did male anatomists leave their mark on female body parts. Why does medical terminology often reflect a masculine perspective. What are the implications of gendered language in anatomy for modern healthcare.

The Historical Naming of Female Anatomy: A Male-Dominated Narrative

The nomenclature of female anatomy reveals a fascinating yet problematic historical legacy. Many parts of the female reproductive system bear the names of male anatomists who first described or claimed to discover them. This practice, while common in medical history, raises important questions about representation and bias in the field of anatomy.

Some prominent examples include:

• Fallopian tubes – named after Gabriel Fallopius
• Pouch of Douglas – named after James Douglas
• Bartholin’s glands – named after Caspar Bartholin the Younger
• G-spot – named after Ernst Gräfenberg

These eponyms serve as a reminder of the male-dominated history of medical research and discovery. They also highlight the tendency to view female anatomy through a masculine lens, often focusing on reproductive functions rather than the holistic health of women.

The Influence of Greek Mythology on Anatomical Terminology

Greek mythology has also left its mark on female anatomical terms. A prime example is the hymen, named after the Greek god of marriage, Hymen. This connection between mythology and anatomy further emphasizes the cultural and historical context in which these terms were established.

The term “hymen” originated from the Greek word “hyalos,” meaning membrane. It was Andreas Vesalius, often referred to as the father of modern anatomy, who first applied this term specifically to the membrane covering the vaginal orifice in the 16th century.

The Cultural Significance of Mythological References

Why does mythology play a role in anatomical naming? The use of mythological references in anatomy reflects the cultural attitudes and beliefs of the times when these terms were coined. It also demonstrates how scientific understanding was often intertwined with cultural narratives and symbolism.

The Impact of Male-Centric Language on Women’s Health

The prevalence of male-centric language in female anatomy extends beyond mere naming conventions. It has potential implications for how women’s health is perceived, studied, and treated in medical settings.

Does the use of male-centric language affect patient care? While there’s no direct evidence linking terminology to quality of care, some argue that it perpetuates a male-centric view of medicine that may indirectly impact how women’s health issues are addressed. This perspective could potentially lead to:

• Underrepresentation of women’s health concerns in medical research
• Misunderstanding or dismissal of women’s symptoms
• Perpetuation of gender biases in medical education and practice

The Movement Towards Gender-Neutral Anatomical Terms

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need for more inclusive and gender-neutral language in medicine. This movement aims to address the historical biases embedded in anatomical terminology and create a more equitable approach to medical education and practice.

Challenges in Changing Established Terminology

Changing long-established medical terms presents several challenges:

1. Resistance from traditionalists in the medical community
2. The need for widespread education and adoption of new terms
3. Potential confusion during the transition period
4. The complexity of updating medical literature and textbooks

Despite these challenges, many argue that the benefits of more inclusive language outweigh the difficulties of implementation.

The Role of Feminism in Challenging Anatomical Naming Conventions

Feminist scholars and healthcare professionals have been at the forefront of critiquing and challenging the male-centric nature of anatomical terminology. Their work has been instrumental in raising awareness about the subtle ways in which language can reinforce gender biases in medicine.

How has feminist critique influenced medical education? Feminist perspectives have led to:

• Increased awareness of gender biases in medical curricula
• The inclusion of women’s health as a distinct area of study
• Efforts to increase female representation in medical leadership and research
• Calls for more gender-inclusive language in medical textbooks and literature

The Intersection of Language, Power, and Medical Knowledge

The naming of body parts is not merely a matter of convenience or historical accident. It reflects power dynamics and the control of knowledge in the medical field. The predominance of male names in female anatomy serves as a tangible reminder of who has traditionally held the power to define and describe the human body.

How does language influence perception in medicine? The language used to describe anatomy can shape how medical professionals and patients perceive and interact with the body. Gender-biased language may contribute to:

• Reinforcement of stereotypes about gender roles in health and illness
• Perpetuation of the idea that the male body is the “default” or “normal” in medical studies
• Difficulties in accurately describing and addressing women’s health issues

The Future of Anatomical Nomenclature: Towards Inclusivity and Accuracy

As awareness of the implications of gendered language in anatomy grows, there is an increasing push for more inclusive and accurate terminology. This movement seeks to balance respect for historical contributions with the need for language that better reflects the diversity of human bodies and experiences.

Proposed Alternatives to Eponyms

Some proposed alternatives to eponyms include:

• Descriptive terms based on function or appearance
• Neutral terms derived from Latin or Greek roots
• Terms that acknowledge the contributions of female anatomists and researchers

These alternatives aim to create a more inclusive and accurate anatomical vocabulary that can better serve the needs of all patients and healthcare providers.

The Global Perspective: Cultural Variations in Anatomical Terminology

While the focus of this discussion has been primarily on Western medical traditions, it’s important to recognize that different cultures have their own ways of describing and understanding the human body. These diverse perspectives can offer valuable insights into alternative approaches to anatomical naming and conceptualization.

How do different cultures approach anatomical naming? Some examples include:

• Traditional Chinese medicine’s focus on energy pathways rather than distinct organs
• Ayurvedic medicine’s holistic approach to body systems
• Indigenous healing practices that often incorporate spiritual and environmental elements into bodily understanding

Exploring these diverse approaches can enrich our understanding of the human body and potentially inspire more inclusive and comprehensive anatomical terminology.

The Role of Medical Education in Shaping Anatomical Language

Medical education plays a crucial role in perpetuating or challenging existing anatomical terminology. As the primary means by which new healthcare professionals are introduced to the language of medicine, educational institutions have the power to shape how future generations understand and describe the human body.

Initiatives for Inclusive Medical Education

Some medical schools and professional organizations are taking steps to address the issue of gender bias in anatomical language. These initiatives include:

• Revising curricula to include more diverse perspectives on anatomy
• Incorporating discussions about the history and implications of anatomical naming
• Encouraging critical thinking about the language used in medical contexts
• Promoting research on the impact of gendered language in healthcare

These efforts aim to produce healthcare professionals who are more aware of the nuances of language and its potential impact on patient care.

The Patient Perspective: How Anatomical Language Affects Health Literacy

The language used to describe anatomy doesn’t just affect medical professionals; it also impacts patients’ understanding of their own bodies and health conditions. Health literacy – the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information – is crucial for patient empowerment and effective healthcare.

How does anatomical language influence patient understanding? The use of complex, male-centric, or outdated terms can:

• Create barriers to patient comprehension
• Lead to misunderstandings about diagnoses or treatments
• Discourage patients from asking questions or seeking clarification
• Reinforce feelings of alienation or disempowerment, particularly for female patients

Addressing these issues through more inclusive and accessible language can contribute to improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction.

The Technological Impact: Digital Health and Anatomical Terminology

As healthcare becomes increasingly digital, the language used to describe anatomy takes on new significance. Electronic health records, medical apps, and online health resources all rely on standardized terminology to function effectively.

Challenges and Opportunities in Digital Health

The digital revolution in healthcare presents both challenges and opportunities when it comes to anatomical language:

• Standardization of terminology across digital platforms
• Development of multilingual and culturally sensitive health information systems
• Creation of more inclusive and user-friendly interfaces for patient-facing technologies
• Potential for AI and machine learning to assist in developing more precise and unbiased anatomical descriptions

As these technologies evolve, there is an opportunity to incorporate more inclusive and accurate anatomical language from the ground up.

The Legal and Ethical Implications of Anatomical Naming

The language used to describe anatomy can have legal and ethical implications, particularly in areas such as informed consent, medical malpractice, and healthcare policy. The precision and clarity of anatomical terms are crucial in these contexts.

Considerations in Legal and Ethical Contexts

Some key considerations include:

• Ensuring that anatomical descriptions in legal documents are clear and unambiguous
• Addressing potential biases in expert testimony related to anatomy
• Developing policies that promote the use of inclusive and accurate anatomical language in healthcare settings
• Considering the ethical implications of continuing to use potentially biased or outdated terminology

These issues highlight the far-reaching impact of anatomical language beyond the realm of medical practice and education.

The Psychological Impact of Gendered Anatomical Language

The use of male-centric language to describe female anatomy can have psychological impacts on both patients and healthcare providers. It may influence self-perception, body image, and the dynamics of the doctor-patient relationship.

Potential Psychological Effects

Some potential psychological effects of gendered anatomical language include:

• Reinforcement of gender stereotypes and power imbalances
• Feelings of alienation or disconnection from one’s own body
• Decreased confidence in discussing health concerns, particularly for female patients
• Perpetuation of unconscious biases among healthcare providers

Addressing these psychological aspects is crucial for promoting holistic and patient-centered healthcare.

The Role of Professional Organizations in Shaping Anatomical Language

Professional medical organizations play a significant role in establishing and maintaining standards for anatomical terminology. These organizations have the power to influence how anatomy is taught, discussed, and documented across the medical field.

Initiatives and Responsibilities

Key responsibilities and initiatives of professional organizations include:

• Regularly reviewing and updating anatomical nomenclature
• Providing guidelines for the use of inclusive language in medical communication
• Facilitating discussions about the implications of anatomical terminology
• Collaborating with diverse stakeholders to ensure representation in decision-making processes

The actions of these organizations can have far-reaching effects on how anatomy is understood and described in medical contexts.

The Intersection of Anatomical Language and Gender Identity

As society’s understanding of gender identity evolves, so too must the language used to describe anatomy. The traditional binary approach to anatomical descriptions may not adequately represent the diversity of human bodies and experiences.

Challenges and Considerations

Some key challenges in this area include:

• Developing inclusive language that respects diverse gender identities
• Addressing the needs of transgender and non-binary individuals in anatomical descriptions
• Balancing specificity in medical contexts with inclusivity in patient communication
• Educating healthcare providers about gender-affirming language and care

Addressing these challenges is essential for providing respectful and effective healthcare to all individuals, regardless of gender identity.

The Future of Anatomical Language: Interdisciplinary Approaches

As we move forward, addressing the complexities of anatomical language will likely require interdisciplinary collaboration. Bringing together perspectives from medicine, linguistics, sociology, psychology, and other fields can provide a more comprehensive approach to developing inclusive and accurate anatomical terminology.

Potential Areas for Collaboration

Some promising areas for interdisciplinary work include:

• Linguistic studies on the impact of gendered language in healthcare communication
• Sociological research on the cultural implications of anatomical naming conventions
• Psychological investigations into the effects of anatomical language on body image and self-perception
• Technological innovations in creating more inclusive health information systems

By drawing on diverse expertise, we can work towards a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of human anatomy that reflects the complexity and diversity of human bodies and experiences.

Zygote Body 3D Anatomy Online Visualizer

Zygote Body 3D Anatomy Online Visualizer | Human Anatomy 3D

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Navigation

• Click+drag with the mouse to rotate, scroll to zoom.
• Or use the buttons in the upper left. The Home button resets the view.
• Change from Capsule to Orbit mode in the upper right to enable full 3d
• rotation and hold Ctrl down to pan the view. (Premium users only)

Slider

• Use the opacity slider on the left to reveal layers.
• Click on the toggle below the slider to control layers individually.

Selection

• Use the searchbox at the upper right to search, or click on entities to select them.
• Click on the background or on the X to undo selection.
• Ctrl+click on entities to quickly hide entities. (Cmd+click on mac.)
• Shift+click on entities or labels (or click on the ‘pin’ icon in a label) to pin an entity. This will keep it selected while you select more.
• Use the visibility icon on an entities name to hide an item. Unlike Ctrl+clicking an entity the visibility tool will leave hide the items until ‘Unhide All’ is clicked on the upper right.
• Use the ‘Zoom to’ tool on the items name to center the view on the item.
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• Use the model select icon above the anatomy slider on the left to load different models.

Premium Tools

• My Scenes allows you to load and save scenes you have created. All annotations, pins and visible items will be saved.
• Zygote Scenes is a collection of scenes created by Zygote Media Group with annotations identifying anatomical landmarks.
• Hierarchy is a list of all the entities you have in your current scene. You can turn parts on and off using the check marks by each object or group of objects.
• Annotations allows you to create your own notes and markers that will be saves when you save your scene.
• Tools:
• Pick returns you to the default mode of picking parts and rotating your camera.
• Slice allows you to slice the parts in your scene in either an X, Y or Z plane.
• Explode moves all the parts in your scene away form a central point that you can interactively position.
• Quiz when enabled when you pick a part rather than displaying the part’s name a multiple choice menu will appear allowing you to quiz yourself.

Professional Tools

• The snapshot icon at the top center will take a snapshot of your scene that can then be saved as a jpg or drawn on with the included pen tools.

The case for renaming women’s body parts

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The Health Gap | Comment & Analysis

(Image credit: Getty Images)

By Leah Kaminsky4th June 2018

From fallopian tubes to the Pouch of Douglas, women’s body parts have been named by – and after – men. But the masculine language of medicine doesn’t end there. Does it matter?

Take a tour of the female pelvis, and you’ll encounter a few incongruous people along the way. How did James Douglas end up tucked behind the uterus? What is Gabriel Fallopian doing hanging around the ovaries? Why is Caspar Bartholin the Younger attached to the labia? And can we trust Ernst Grafenberg’s claim that he actually found the G-spot? Whether you know it or not, each of these dudes have ended up immortalised in the female pelvis – as the Pouch of Douglas, Bartholin’s glands, fallopian tubes, and that elusive Grafenberg spot.

The truth is, men are all over women’s bodies – dead, white male anatomists, that is. Their names live on eponymously, immortalised like audacious explorers for conquering the geography of the female pelvis as if it were terra nullius.

The gods are engraved on women too. The masculine Greek god of marriage, Hymen, who died on his wedding night, has lent his name to a uniquely female anatomical structure. Hymen is derived from the Greek word ‘hyalos’, or membrane. But it was the father of modern anatomy, Vesalius, who in the 16th Century first used the term specifically for the covering of the vaginal orifice.

More in the Health Gap:
• ‘Everybody was telling me there was nothing wrong’
• Pain bias: The health inequality rarely discussed
• The health risks of maturing early

The Greek god Hymen lent his name to women’s bodies via the male anatomist Vesalius (Credit: Getty Images)

When it comes to science and medicine, men (and gods) have left their mark all over the place. They have stamped their names on thousands of creatures, from salmonella bacteria (after US veterinarian Daniel Elmer Salmon, though it was actually his assistant’s discovery) to the endangered grevy zebra (named after a former French president).

After all, until the last century, women were almost excluded from academic medicine. But the continued use of these mostly male eponyms not only reflects the gender bias in our medical knowledge base. It may continue to perpetuate it.

The controversial question of whether language shapes thought has long been debated. Still, plenty of examples exist where describing something in a certain way changes our perception of it. Ghil’ad Zuckermann, professor of linguistics and endangered languages at the University of Adelaide, points out that in languages where the word for ‘bridge’ has a feminine gender, people describe bridges as elegant. But in languages where the word for ‘bridge’ has a masculine gender, people refer to bridges as sturdy.

It raises the question of whether our perceptions of the body, and its conditions, are also skewed by gender biases without us realising.

Gendered jargon

We are all familiar with the term ‘hysteria’ – derived from the Greek word for uterus, ‘hysterika’, and coined by Hippocrates (another dude) to characterise illness caused by ‘movement of the uterus’. The first mental disorder attributed to women, the idea of hysteria dated all the way back to the ancient Egyptians, who first described it in 1900 BC. But it was the Greeks who argued that the uterus was particularly prone to ‘wandering’ (as well as producing ‘toxic fumes’) when it was unfruitful. Getting married, therefore, was the cure. The idea persisted through the centuries: in the 19th Century it became a go-to diagnosis amongst a male-driven medical profession. ‘Hysterical ladies’ began filling doctors’ waiting rooms, lining up for the ‘cure’ of physician-assisted genital massage to induce ‘paroxysms’ – a polite term for orgasms. The doctors began to suffer from chronic hand cramps and fatigue, making the mechanical vibrator, when it was invented, a welcome relief.

But hysteria – which was finally removed from the American Psychiatric Association’s list of modern diseases in 1952 – seems relatively archaic today.

Less discussed is how much of the rest of the language of medicine remains draped with patriarchal terms.

‘What is Gabriel Fallopian doing hanging around the ovaries?’ (Credit: BBC/Getty Images)

That stems from more than eponyms. Many terms draw from stereotypically masculine, militaristic metaphors (battling heart disease, the war against cancer, date of confinement) or from pejorative terms (incompetent cervix, blighted ovum). The language of medicine, the art and science of healing, has become surprisingly violent and critical.

We study the body to improve its fate. But when the body becomes a battlefield, it risks turning into a site where people vie for control. Oncologist Jerome Groopman, author of Your Medical Mind, says that militaristic overtones can work: they may help a patient who feels a war is going on inside their body. But others find this metaphor anathema to their wellbeing. It can imply that if they don’t get better they have somehow failed, leading to self-blame for not having ‘fought’ hard enough.

Even anatomical terms we think ‘sound’ feminine often have anachronistic and inherently sexist origins. The word ‘vagina’, for example, comes from the Latin for sheath – a close-fitting cover for the blade of a knife or sword. Similarly, the Late Greek word kleitorís, which referred to clitoris, can be traced back to kleíein: ‘to shut away’.

You don’t need to be Freud to see the outdated metaphors here.

The word ‘vagina’ originates from ‘sheath’, as in to sheathe a sword (Credit: Getty Images)

It isn’t just medical terminology that skews male. The study of female anatomy has been affected too.

Gender bias in the teaching of anatomy and physiology to medical students was examined in a 2013 study by Susan Morgan and her colleagues. In textbooks used to instruct students, they found that “male anatomy and physiology are often represented as the norm, with women being underrepresented in non‐reproductive anatomy. The impression is gained that the human body is male and that the female body is presented only to show how it differs.”

If many medical terms embody a patriarchal history, the question is how much it matters today. If most people don’t even realise that the names of female body parts have male origins – so don’t automatically connect them to men, rather than women – is it such a big deal? After all, for a word to bolster a sexist system, you’d think it would need to have some connection to male-oriented meaning in our minds.

The glands located just outside of the vaginal opening are named after Caspar Bartholin the Younger (Credit: BBC/Getty Images)

One problem, says Lera Boroditsky, associate professor of cognitive science at UCSD, is that eponyms perpetuate the notion that advances are made by one individual – rather than the long collaborative process central to the process of scientific discovery. She argues for a system “that is not centred around the historical victories of men ‘discovering’ body parts”. Instead, these terms should be replaced by descriptors that are useful and educational to the body’s owner.

In 2000, social worker Anna Kostztovics was concerned at the lack of fundamental gender equality embedded in her native Swedish language. She pointed out that boys had a non-sexualised word for their genitals – ‘snopp’, a widely-used term roughly equivalent to the English term ‘willy’ – while girls did not. She popularised the use of a new word, ‘snippa’, as the female equivalent.

The way women’s body parts are named may perpetuate the idea that they were ‘discovered’ by intrepid male ‘explorers’ (Credit: Getty Images)

Since then, Swedish activists have called for English speakers to replace the sexist terms in their own language – such as renaming the ‘hymen’ with the new term ‘vaginal corona’.

It remains to be seen whether these terms will catch on. But perhaps people should be encouraged to create the language they need. As for anatomical terminology that has patriarchal residue, Boroditsky says: “letting it fall away is the death it needs to have”.

Leah Kaminsky is a physician and award-winning novelist based in Australia.

This story is part of the Health Gap, a special series about how men and women experience the medical system – and their own health – in starkly different ways.

Do you have an experience to share? Or are you just interested in sharing information about women’s health and wellbeing? Join our Facebook group Future Woman and be a part of the conversation about the day-to-day issues that affect women’s lives.  

Join 800,000+ Future fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called “If You Only Read 6 Things This Week”. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Capital, and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday.

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Where are your 90-60-90? – June 4, 2013

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The standard of female beauty, as many people know, is the notorious 90-60-90: the volume of the chest, waist and hips. It’s more difficult for men. It is impossible to find any single scheme for calculating the ideal male figure. Although there are plenty of formulas. Various experts explain why this happens, men try to correct flaws at their own discretion, and girls look for something in men that no plastic surgeon will change.

Trying to find a universal scheme for calculating the ideal figure for men by analogy with the female formula 90-60-90 is impossible, no matter how much anyone wants it. For example, take bodybuilding – a sport where participants work specifically for appearance. So there are a lot of schemes for calculating the ideal male figure, which may differ from each other. For example, a man with a height of 172 cm, according to the proportions of the Weider school, should have a weight of 83.5 kg, and the volume of the chest, waist and hips should be 118-80-59.5 cm respectively. And according to the calculations of another Western specialist – Marcel Rouet – the ideal parameters for the same height look a little different: 75.5 kg – weight, and volumes – 112-82-58.5 cm.

According to some athletes, one of the best formulas – John McCallum’s calculation, based on measuring the girth of the wrist. From McCallum’s formula: 6.5 wrist circumference gives chest circumference, 85% of chest circumference gives hip circumference and 70% of chest circumference is waist circumference.

The most recognized canon of beauty is Greek, which, in turn, came from ancient Egyptian. It can be understood by the statue of a young man with a spear of the ancient Greek master Polykleitos. The face of the statue is one tenth of the height of the body, the head is one eighth, and the length of the foot is one sixth. The head together with the neck is equal in length to the foot.

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“There are many formulas, since everyone creates it, rather, for himself. Yes, and time dictates some new standards … My benchmark is the growth of minus 100 and plus 10. That is, with a height of 170, the weight should be 80 kg. Moreover, subcutaneous fat should be no more than 20%. In general, there is such a saying that a man should be a little more beautiful than a monkey, ”smiled the president of the Novosibirsk Regional Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness, three-time bodybuilding world champion, European and Russian champion Sergey Dmitriev.

“Men have no concept of male beauty at all. A man with an inexpressive appearance can realize himself in life . .. But sometimes it is unrealistic to change your figure if genetics have laid some special proportions in you, ”added Andrey Lazarevsky, personal trainer of the Europe fitness club.

The patriarchal world is built in such a way that a man without conditional own 90-60-90 can achieve good results in his life – if there is a desire. Do you think that there are deviations in the figure? Fixing it isn’t hard.

The first thing that can improve appearance is a gym. The trainer will select an individual program for you – you will increase what you want. It is worth thinking about proper nutrition: according to some reports, most dissatisfied men want to get rid of the “beer” belly.

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“You have to watch your diet. Especially up to 25 years – this is the most responsible age. Nutrition should not be scarce and poor in vitamins, trace elements and fiber, which is very important. Fiber is a whole grain: cereals, bread with bran… It is necessary for the normal development of microflora, which plays an important role in protein synthesis,” said nutritionist, therapist Elena Garagulya.

As a last resort, there is also plastic surgery. Increasingly, men are also turning to such a service for correcting their appearance, although it is still somehow not customary for us to admit this. Everything is corrected – up to the buttocks, where the implants are sewn.

Vitaly Igumnov, a plastic surgeon at the Sharm clinic, said that modern men most often correct their noses. Usually broken. But there are those who demand a pronounced chin, which is considered a sign of masculinity.

“A man’s main goal is to produce offspring and provide for them. No matter how it sounds, but a woman chooses not so much an outwardly sexual object as the father of her children, who can provide for her and her offspring. Therefore, there is much less competition among men precisely in terms of beauty, ”plastic surgeon Igumnov voiced his assumption about the absence of a single standard for male beauty.

“The beauty standard for women has been shaped in large part by the fashion industry. Men’s fashion has always remained in a difficult state. And the leading men were very different from each other. Napoleon, for example, was very different from King Edward, Edward from King George … Therefore, male standardization, due to the patriarchal nature of the European community, was not formed, ”said Igor Lyakh, a psychotherapist at the Insight clinic.

Besides, according to the psychotherapist’s clarification, there may also be such a moment here: in the female psyche and physiology, variability is inherent in nature, i.e. a woman chooses a man for herself – what are the uniform standards here? And it’s easier for men.

“Men have one fairly rigid area of ​​standardization – they want their penis not to differ much from the size of their surrounding rivals,” summed up Dr. Lyakh.

Ilya Kalinin

Photo thinkstockphotos.com

Body parts in English with translation into Russian and transcription

When going to the doctor and not only, you can’t do without knowing the names of body parts . We promise that this article about parts of the human body in English will definitely not be boring for you. There will be many pictures and interesting phrases. Go!

Basic parts of the body in English

Our topic of body parts starts with the most important thing: the head. We will start studying those body parts (“parts of the body”), which, so to speak, are visible to the “naked eye” ( visible to the naked eye) .

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Head and Face – Head and Face

Whether you have an appointment with a beautician or you have to explain to a new hairdresser how best to cut your hair – before you leave the house you should definitely study some parts of the face in English. Here they are:

Any child will correctly notice that a person has not one, but two eyes and not one, but two ears. Therefore, when speaking of eyes and ears in the plural, as well as many other parts of the body, the ending -s should be added.

• Eye-eyes
• Eyelash – eyelashes

An exception to this rule are the words

• Tooth – teeth

Torso: external structure of the human body

When describing the torso, we need the word limbs – limbs. Move your arms and legs, do a little exercise so that the blood ( blood ) rushes to the brain ( brain ) – and let’s find out the names of the body parts in the torso area.

Arms extend from the body – arms and legs – legs . You, of course, know that these limbs are divided into separate components:

• Arm – the whole arm
• Forearm
• Hand
• Finger – finger

• Leg
• Thigh
• Knee
• Shin – drumstick
• Ankle
• Feet – foot
• Toes

Strange as it may sound to us Russian speakers, English uses two different words for fingers and toes. Why don’t English speakers use the same name for both limbs? This is a question for which there is no answer. Just remember.

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Internal Organs in English – Internal Organs

Imagine that you are having a biology class. Now we will share with you a couple of fascinating facts about the internal organs in English, and you promise to tell your English-speaking friends in turn. Just mind, use new words!

An interesting time. Approximately 8% of your total weight ( weight ) is blood ( blood ). – Blood makes up about 8 percent of your total body weight.

Two : in our navels ( belly buttons ) special hairs grow that catch the fibers of the fabric. – Belly buttons grow special hairs to catch lint.

Body parts in English with Russian translation

Human Anatomy in English and tissues – Anatomy and tissues in English

If you suddenly pulled a tendon during a morning run, feel free to tell the doctor that you sprained a tendon . If something has been wrong with your nerves lately, tell him: there’s something wrong with my nerves .

In case of other unforeseen breakdowns in the body, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with another list of important words.

Parts of the body in English with transcription in Russian

Let’s practice pronunciation – read the English words below using the transcription.

• body [‘bɔdɪ] – body
• bone [bəun] – bone
• cartilage [‘kɑ:tɪlɪdʒ] – cartilage
• muscle [‘mʌsl] – muscle
• artery [‘ɑ:tərɪ] – artery
• blood [blʌd] – blood
• ligament [‘lɪgəmənt] – ligament
• tendon [‘tendən] – tendon
• nerve [nɜ:v] – nerve
• skin [skɪn] – skin (human)
• vein [veɪn] – vein
• rib [rɪb] – rib
• pelvis [‘pelvɪs] – pelvis
• tailbone [‘teɪlbəun] – coccyx
• spine [spaɪn] – spine
• rib cage [rɪb keɪdʒ] – chest
• shoulder blade [‘ʃəʊldə bleɪd]
• collar bone [‘kɒlə bəʊn] – clavicle
• biceps [‘baɪseps] – biceps, biceps
• quadriceps [‘kwɔdrɪseps] – quadriceps
• triceps [‘traɪseps] – triceps
• Achilles tendon [ə’kɪli:z ‘tendən] – Achilles tendon

There are four types of tissue in the human body:

• Epithelial tissue (epithelial tissue) forms the integument of the body ( skin surface ), glands and lines the cavities of internal organs ( lining of organs ).
• Connecting tissue (connective tissue): bone ( bone ), cartilage ( tendon ), blood, lymph ( lymph/fat ).
• Muscle tissue (muscle tissue) makes up the bulk of skeletal muscles ( skeletal muscles ) and many internal organs ( inner organs ).
• Nerve tissue (nerve tissue) forms the bulk of the brain ( brain ) and spinal cord ( spinal cord ).

Description of a person’s appearance in English

Imagine that you need to verbally draw a portrait of your loved one using only English words. This is where knowing a few more new English expressions comes in handy.

• I have dark brown eyes. – I have dark brown eyes.
• My teeth are snow white. – I have white teeth.
• My beard is long and bushy. — My beard is long and thick.
• My forehead is wide. – I have a high forehead.
• I am a curvy woman. “I am a curvaceous woman.
• I have high cheekbones. – I have high cheekbones.
• My arms are lanky. – I have long arms.

An example of the use of words in speech: the human body in English

Well, now it’s time to move from theory to practice. Today we have learned a sea of ​​​​words, so let’s make sentences with them.

• He has a very strong chin. He should become an actor. – He has a prominent chin. He should become an actor.
• He flares his nostrils when he is angry. – His nostrils flare when he’s angry.
• The beer flowed down my throat easily on the hot day. The beer flowed easily down his throat on a hot day.
• Her calf muscles are very strong from all the running. Her calf muscles are very strong from running.
• She has a slim waist and will fit into anything! – She has a thin waist and almost everything suits her!

Body part idioms

Cost me an arm and a leg
This lawyer cost me an arm and a leg! – This lawyer cost me a fortune!

Play it by ear
Let’s catch up tomorrow and we will just play it by ear. – Let’s meet tomorrow and see how it goes.

Give a cold shoulder
I thought she really liked me, but the next day she gave me the cold shoulder. I thought she liked me, but the next day she was surly.

A sight for sore eyes
You’re a sight for sore eyes, Maria! Mary, you are a joy to my eyes!

Off the top of my head
I can’t tell you off the top of my head. “I can’t tell you offhand.

My lips are sealed
I won’t tell your secrets to anyone, my lips are sealed! “I won’t tell your secrets to anyone, my mouth is shut.”

Cry your heart out
I cried my heart out when he left me. I sobbed inconsolably when he left me.

Sweet tooth
There are many tasty recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth. There are many delicious recipes that will satisfy such a sweet tooth.

Bite your tongue
Bite your tongue! He doesn’t want to hear your opinion about everything. – Bite your tongue! He doesn’t want to hear your opinion about everything.

Cross your fingers
Good luck with your test tomorrow, I’ll have my fingers crossed. Good luck with tomorrow’s test, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Keep your chin up
Hey, Bob keep your chin up, we’re not lost yet. “Hey, Bob, keep your head up, we’re not all lost yet.

Pat on the back
He received a pat on the back from his boss from the new project that he landed. He got praise from his boss from a new project he got.

To learn even more interesting idioms, sign up for English courses with a native speaker at Skysmart Online School.