"As for Europe's roots in Greece, how come so much of modern European medical vocabulary consists in Greek words if some roots of modern Europe aren't in ancient Greeece ? Why are European university classical studies of Greece and Rome ?"
All European languages except for Hungarian and Finnish, are Indo-european and have common roots with Greek and Latin.
The identification with Rome and Athens comes from the Renaissance and justifies the reconstitution of an empire under the aegis of the revival of a true, lost, golden age of learning.
Medical vocabulary is created out of Greek and Latin words in order to give it authority and to provide a barrier of entry.
Once you know the roots, they're not saying anything special: anything-itis is an inflammation of one kind or another....etc.
In other words the continuity with the classical age is manufactured for certain purposes.
Joanna
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