Evidence and Expertise in Genetic Nomenclatures

Abstract

Clinicians and laboratory scientists use a number of different systems for naming genetic mutations in their daily activities. Based on participant observation at an American academic medical center and interviews with a variety of actors at American hospitals, this paper analyzes the use of these systems. I argue that their distribution corresponds to differences in professional regimes of responsibility. An examination of these often quite complex linguistic items reveals a correlation between the type of components (evidential versus epistemic modifiers) that constitute the names and the presupposed professional role of their intended audiences.