Abstract
The phenomenon of eponymous terms used in forensic pathology is described in the paper. The authors analysed representative textbooks (monographs) in English and German dealing with forensic pathology and identified several eponymous terms.
Presentation of the most important eponymous terms in forensic pathology is the paper's focus. It comprises these terms: Beckwith's Sign, Casper's Rule, Krönlein's Shot, Lichtenberg's Figures, Nysten's Law, Paltauf's Spots, Puppe's Rule, Sehrt's Sign, Simon's Sign, Sveshnikov's Sign, Tardieu's Spots, Wischnewski Spots, Wydler's Sign.
Their spread in various language discourses is mentioned. Their linguistic basis, advantages and disadvantages for specialists or wider circles is discussed.
The authors state that the main function of eponymous terms is to facilitate the open flow of unambiguous information among scholars. Eponymous terms in forensic pathology are characteristic for the German speaking countries and for all countries influenced by the German school of forensic pathology.
Their spread in the Anglo-Saxon countries is much smaller, meaning they do not occur very often in English monographs and textbooks.