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4. RHETORIC AND THE WORLD OF SCIENCE IN THE EModE PERIOD<br />

4. RHETORIC AND THE WORLD OF SCIENCE IN THE EModE PERIOD<br />

As stated in the introduction to this dissertation, it is generally agreed that<br />

nominalizations are a characteristic feature of scientific writing. This may be taken as an<br />

indication that nominalizations have flourished in this genre and have been later adopted<br />

by other genres. Bazerman (1988: 6) supports this idea, since “the statements made<br />

through scientific discourse have been culturally and socially important. (…) [A]s a result<br />

of science’s great success, habits of scientific discourse have influenced almost all areas<br />

of intellectual inquiry.” In order to explain the reasons that might have fostered the use of<br />

nominalizations in scientific writing, it may be useful to consider the persuasive or<br />

rhetorical nature of scientific language.<br />

Pahta and Taavitsainen (2011: 1-2), referring specifically to medical writing, point<br />

out that “a contextualized analysis of medical language requires an understanding of the<br />

contemporary history of medicine as an area of special knowledge and practice.” Since<br />

the aim of this study is the analysis of nominalizations in Early Modern scientific English,<br />

a general picture of the status of science at that time is in order. Therefore, this chapter<br />

intends to give an account of the field of science in EModE and of the linguistic situation<br />

during this 200-year period. Section 4.1 addresses the rhetoric of science, emphasizing its<br />

persuasive nature and the factors that have an impact on the use of nominalizations.<br />

Section 4.2 analyzes the changes that took place in the field of science during the socalled<br />

“scientific revolution.” Section 4.3, in turn, deals with the process of<br />

vernacularization, analyzing its potential influence on the use of nominalizations. Section<br />

4.4 summarizes the consequences of the increase in literacy in science, while Section 4.5<br />

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