Re: Latin descriptions
Liane Cochran-Stafira (lcochran@midway.uchicago.edu)
Tue, 3 Oct 1995 10:11:08 -0500
>> From: "Carl Strohmenger (HSC)" <cstrohme@COM1.MED.USF.EDU>
>>
>> The scientific nomenclature is not Latin as such. It is based on some
>> Latin language useage rules and declentions, but it is properly the
>> _Scientific Name_ and not the Latin name.
>>
>> > Now, much later, it seems the whole world is favoring
>> > English more and more as an universal language so the scientific
>> > community should take heed of this change and perhaps alter the way
>> > these descriptions are validated.
>>
>> On the contrary! - As more people use English for their normal universal
>> language communications, there will be more and more COMMON names used
>> for the same species.
>
>Sorry I wasn't specific enough. Yes the names and naming of the
>plants need to be, and should be as they are. I agree with you 100%.
>I was writing about the descriptions that need to be published along
>with the name of a species (or whatever it turns out to be) so it can
>be considered valid. Yes the name should be unique. But the descrip-
>tions? I don't see the need any more because of the fact English is
>becoming the world's first or second language, depending on where you
>live. The descriptions ought to be done in English, if you need to
>read them it would be much easier to find someone who can translate
>English than Latin no matter where you live. The world has changed
>and we should update the rules.
>
>Dave Evans
A question - Is the use of Latin for species descriptions unique to botany?
I can't recall seeing any contemporary species descriptions in Latin for
any of the organisms I work with (bacteria, algae, protozoa, and fungi).
I'm not as familiar with the zoological literature, but I don't recall the
use of Latin here either (at least for new species). If Latin is used for
botanical descriptions primarily in an effort to maintain the tradition
extending back to Linnaeus, it doesn't seem like it would be too much of a
problem to switch to English (or another modern language that is more
accessible). I also wonder how many fluent Latin speakers are going to be
around in the future to write and translate the descriptions since, at
least here in the U.S., the foreign language requirements are being
eliminated in most colleges and universities. Latin certainly doesn't
appear to rank too highly among those languages that students do study,
unless they are majoring in classics or linguistics. Don't get me wrong,
if there is a scientifically valid reason to keep the Latin, by all means
keep it. But if the reason is simply based on tradition, it would make
everyone's life a lot simpler and might help avoid some errors associated
with (mis)identifying new species if a more accessible language were
adopted.
My $.02 worth,
Liane Cochran-Stafira