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Review
. 2024 Jan 16;9(4):4138-4143.
doi: 10.1021/acsomega.3c08887. eCollection 2024 Jan 30.

Language of Chemistry: Making IUPAC Nomenclature Available in Spanish

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Review

Language of Chemistry: Making IUPAC Nomenclature Available in Spanish

Efraím Reyes et al. ACS Omega. .

Abstract

Science, including mathematics, physics, and, of course, chemistry, has its own language and symbols and names we learn in school. However, to teach it, communicate it, and use it, we use our own native languages. Most of the scientific literature, including this article, is in English, as are the texts published by the various scientific unions, including the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), to define scientific nomenclature, terminology, and presentation. However, it is essential that these fundamental texts are available in as many languages as possible to facilitate their teaching, learning, and use throughout the world. It should be noted, however, that the translation of these texts into different languages is a complex task that requires some choices due to the lack of obvious alternatives or the cacophony of some terms. In this paper, we provide some details on the challenges, compromises, and difficult decisions involved in translating the IUPAC Nomenclature Brief Guides into Spanish.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing financial interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Front cover of the Libro Rojo of Nomenclature of Inorganic Chemistry (reproduced with permission given by Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza).
Figure 2
Figure 2
First page of the (up) Guía Breve para la Nomenclatura de Química Inorgánica (version 2022) and (down) Guía Breve para la Nomenclatura de Química Orgánica (version 2022) (reproduced with permission given by the IUPAC).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Front cover of the book Nomenclatura química y normas de las IUPAC en español published by the University of La Rioja and the IUPAC (reproduced with permission given by the University of La Rioja).

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