common names

[Jere Kahanpaa]

Hi.

mbpi at juno.com wrote:
: At the risk of sounding "amateurish," I find the use of common names a
: helpful frame-of-reference.  

: For example:  when someone on this listserv starts expounding on some
: foreign species or subspecies, and doesn't even give "a clue" to the
: family of that species...such as nymphalid or lycenid, much less "brush
: foot" or "gossamer wings," it's very hard for someone who isn't familiar
: with the "taxa of the world" to get a picture of what the elitist is
: referring to (!)  To my way of thinking, it is a passive-aggressive ploy
: to "exclude" anyone who hasn't been studying butterflies for the past 25
: years...let them "figure it out" (!)  It seems to me you don't really
: "want" to educate the ignorant masses, and would much prefer to keep your
: "coveted and covert knowledge" just that.

For a non-native english speaker -- my first language is finnish -- this
argument work exactly in the opposite direction: I have no idea of what
species groups are included in blues, pugs or fritillaries, but scientific
names such as Boloria, Eumedonia or Eupithecia give some idea of what
taxons we are talking about. 

Using common names for foreign (from your point of view!) taxons makes
even less sense as then the people how live in the country where the taxon
is resident might not recognize it at all and cannot submit valuable
advice.

: Believe me, if you were actually willing to impart even a tad bit more
: "information" than the majority of you do, the subjugated amateurs on
: this listserv would "fly"  They might even feel free to "express"
: themselves (!)
: Then...watch out!!!!  Maybe that's what you're afraid of ?!

Hmm. If I'm afraid of something it is the suprisingly low number of 
non-american comment on sci.bio.entomology.lepidoptera. Using common names 
certainly doesn't help at all as they are strongly language- and 
region-dependent. If you want to use common names I suggest using Finnish 
common names: 

Vanessa cardui:		Ohdakeperhonen
Inachis io: 		Neitoperhonen 
Nymphalis antiopa: 	Suruvaippa 

etc. A larger list is available at 

http://www.funet.fi/pub/sci/bio/life/intro.html#tree

;-)

On the finnish lep newsgroup, sfnet.harrastus.perhoset 
('finnish-net.hobby.leps'), we use mainly scientific names (often 
abbreviated) but try to also supply either a common name or a reference to 
the larger group like this: Timandra comai (Geometridae).


Jere Kahanpää
-- 
Lord, make my words as sweet as honey, for one day I may have to eat them
								
							Daryl Benson

 
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