REVIEWS, SURVEYS, INFORMATION, BIBLIOGRAPHY

EXPLANATORY DICTIONARY OF TERMS FOR THE EXAMINATION OF NARCOTIC AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES

Vilnius, 2001, 23 pp.

This dictionary, published in a print run of 600 copies and, given its small size (only about fifty terms), more appropriately described as a glossary, was prepared by Dr. Voldemaras Jankauskas, Deputy Director of the Lithuanian Forensic Science Centre, and Vidmantas Vaitekūnas, Head of the Chemical and Biological Investigations Division. It was published by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Forensic Science Centre.

The preface states that the dictionary “includes the names of the most widespread narcotic and psychotropic substances, as well as other terms related to the examination of this type of substance. The names of narcotic and psychotropic substances are given as they appear in the Lists of Narcotic and Psychotropic Substances approved by the Ministry of Health (2000).” The sources of the dictionary are then listed: the United Nations’ 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the provisions of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and publications of the United Nations Drug Control Programme. The publication’s intended purpose is also specified: “the dictionary is intended for law-enforcement personnel.” A substantial bibliography (14 entries, 8 of them publications in English) is appended to the dictionary.

Headwords are arranged alphabetically. Most have Russian and English equivalents, given at the end of the entry. Many headwords are also classified, for example: Amphetamine. Psychotropic substance; Heroin. Narcotic substance. Often the headword is repeated in the definition, for example: Amphetamine “Amphetamine is one of the most widespread synthetic psychotropic substances. <…>”; Khat “Khat is a central nervous system stimulant <…>”. Most of the definitions are comprehensive and informative. However, the compilers say nothing about the dictionary’s structure. The terms are not marked for stress, and most names are non-Lithuanian and difficult even to pronounce, for example: phencyclidine, cannabinoids, mecloqualone, methamphetamine, tetrahydrocannabinol, etc.

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At the end of an entry, the cross-reference “see” is given. In dictionaries, such a reference usually indicates that a term is redirected to a preferred term—that is, synonymous terms are linked by it. In the dictionary under discussion, however, this reference serves several, and indeed different, functions. First, it links synonymous terms, but not in a consistent way, for example: Ephedrone. See: Metcathinone and Metcathinone – “The chemical name of metcathinone (also called ephedrone) is <...>”; Hashish. See: Cannabis resin and Cannabis resin (hashish). Sometimes synonyms are given without any normative cross-reference, for example: Precursors (precursor chemicals); Psilocybin. Psilocin. The compilers do not explain the relationship between other terms linked by the aforementioned reference. In most entries, it is followed by a string of hyponymic terms (in one case, 22), for example: Plant-derived narcotic substances <...>. See: Poppies and their parts, extract of poppies and their parts, concentrate of poppies and their parts, Alkaloids, Cannabis sativa, Catha edulis, Hallucinogens, Cannabinoids, Cannabis, Cannabis oil, Cannabis resin, Khat, Cathinone, Cocaine, Coca leaves, Coca paste, Opiates, Opium alkaloids, Opium, Psilocybin, Psilocin, Tetrahydrocannabinol; Hallucinogens <...>. See: Amphetamine derivatives, Phencyclidine, Lysergide, Mescaline, Psilocybin, Tryptamine and its derivatives. It is unclear why the entry Alkaloids gives equivalents after “see”: Alkaloūdų. Alkaloids.

Quite often, the term used in a cross-reference differs from the main term, for example: Catha edulis (in the entry Plant-derived narcotic substances), but Catha edulis plants “Catha edulis is the Latin name of a flowering evergreen shrub growing in East Africa and South-West Arabia. <...>”; Tryptamine and its derivatives (in the entry Hallucinogens), but Tryptamines “Unlike amphetamine and its derivatives, tryptamine derivatives are abused less frequently. <...>”.

Several terms need revision. One of them is Cannabis sativa – sėjamoji kanapė. We believe that only the Lithuanian term sėjamoji kanapė should be treated as the main term, especially since the Latin name of this plant, Cannabis sativa, is mentioned in the definition. The term Catha edulis plants also needs revision. Why is the word plants needed alongside the Latin name (and in the plural, at that)? Catha edulis is, after all, a plant. On 8 December 2003, the Terminology Subcommittee of the State Commission of the Lithuanian Language adopted the Lithuanian name for this plant: arābinis dusūnas. The entry coca leaves and coca paste gives an incorrect Lithuanian and Latin name of the plant—

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the final part of the name: coca tree (Latin Erythroxylon coca). The Dictionary of Botanical Names gives Erythróxylum coca – true coca tree. Thus, the terms to be used are leaves of the true coca tree and paste of the true coca tree. The spelling of the name opiates should be corrected (= opiates). We suggest calling substances that stimulate the central nervous system not central nervous system stimulators, but central nervous system stimulants (the Dictionary of International Words (2000) gives tranquilizers ↗ tranquilants; whereas a stimulator is a device). Crack should be regarded as an inadmissible foreign word (marked ntk. →).

It should be noted that some international drug names given in the dictionary also have Lithuanian equivalents—the Dictionary of Medical Terms gives analgesics, pain-relieving medicines; tranquilants, calming medicines; the dictionary includes only extract (the entry Extract of poppies and their parts (excluding seeds)), whereas the Dictionary of Medical Terms and the Medical Encyclopedia use “decoction”; moreover, in the latter, “decoction” is treated as the preferred term (extract, otherwise ↗ decoction).

Many of the shortcomings mentioned here could easily have been avoided.

Palmira ZEMLEVIČIŪTĖ

Lietuvių kalbos institutas

P. Vileišio g. 5, LT-2055 Vilnius

E. paštas [email protected]

Received 2003-11-03

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