nicknames vs common names

[Anne Kilmer]

The word we are searching for here is "vernacular," I think. 
By common name (demotic, as opposed to hieratic) we mean the name the
organism is called by the people where it lives. 
	Plenty of critters exist unnoticed by us common herds, and therefore
lack such a name. The obsessive compulsives of the world feel the need
to fill in all the blanks, and more power to 'em. 
	Anything that sells books, if only to libraries and universities, is
fine with me. But these are names in the vernacular; not common names.
The term "common name" however is time honored, and we will not change
it. 
	I happen to like the scientific names, especially those where someone
has been fooling around (Doug has a nice collection of those).  
	Kids like learning them, too. Makes them feel brilliant. Plus they can
show off to their parents. 
Anne Kilmer
south Florida	

Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX wrote:
> 
> ok, count me in as preferring nickname over common name. as pointed out by
> others, the "scientific" name is the only name 'common' to a life form
> around the world and use of the phrase 'common name' suggests that there is
> something 'uncommon' about the real name. fun stuff
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Norbert Kondla  P.Biol., RPBio.
> Forest Ecosystem Specialist, Ministry of Environment
> 845 Columbia Avenue, Castlegar, British Columbia V1N 1H3
> Phone 250-365-8610
> Mailto:Norbert.Kondla at gems3.gov.bc.ca
> http://www.env.gov.bc.ca