The normalization of chemical terminology in the first half of the 20th century

Abstract

Though the development of chemical terminology is mainly associated with the 19th century, the first names of elements can be found in the work by Michał Sędziwoj that dates back to the end of the 16th century. An important role in the formation of specialized nomenclature was played by the conflict between chemists – Jędrzej Śniadecki and Aleksander Chodkiewicz, which emphasized the need and significance to create Polish counterparts of the terminology. This resulted in the proposition of numerous changes, the formation of many different rules of creating the names of elements and compounds. At the turn of the 20th century, the situation led to the creation of two separate naming paradigms, associated with the research centres in Cracow and Warsaw. There were attempts to create a nation-wide chemical nomenclature, which eventually occurred in the first years of the 20th century. The article describes the differences in names created at Cracow and Warsaw facilities, the most important reforms proposed by Warsaw chemists and the final considerations made by the Academy of Learning. The main focus is on the creation of element names originating from Latin nomenclature (the use and deletion of the -um suffix), the rules surrounding the transfer of names from international terminology (e.g. the mol name, the prefixes such as bi-, di-, tri-) and the names of selected chemical compounds.