Re: why italics?
--===AVGMAIL-4468727A6DC2=== Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-67B47AD Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi all, In English, as in many other languages, italics=20 are used to emphasize foreign words, not because=20 they are taxonomic or scientific names, but=20 because they are foreign (Latin or otherwise).=20 Some taxonomic terms (like species names) are in=20 Latin (not only derived from Latin), so they are=20 italicized to point them out. One should do it=20 with any other word in a language different from=20 that of the text. You can also use other means of=20 emphasizing, like underline or quotes, but=20 italics are preferred. A number of sources in the web mention this: The Times Style Manual: italics [...] However, certain areas do always=20 take italics: less common, non-Anglicised foreign=20 words go in italics, but err on the side of roman=20 (eg, in extremis, hors d'oeuvre, angst, de rigueur). foreign words write in roman when foreign words=20 and phrases have become essentially a part of the=20 English language (eg, an elite, a debacle, a=20 f=EAte, de rigueur); otherwise, use italic (eg, a=20 bon mot, a b=EAte noire, the raison d'=EAtre). The "Style Manual" at the U. of Minnesota: 2. Use italics for emphasis, for unfamiliar=20 foreign words and phrases, and for technical=20 terms followed by definitions. [...] When italic=20 type is not available (for example, in a=20 typewriter or handwritten manuscript), underline to indicate italics... International Journal of Food Engineering Foreign terms: Whenever possible, foreign terms=20 should be set in italics rather than underlined. etc. Francisco de Castro Research Corporation @ Univ. of Hawaii Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] At 02:37 PM 5/14/2006, David M. Lawrence wrote: >My guess is that it's just a matter of style. The binomial is just the >generic and specific portion of the name -- not the family, order, etc. >Italics are often used as a form of emphasis. Italicizing every taxonomic >term up to kingdom that is based on "foreign" roots would dilute the= effect. > >Note that scientific names are generally always italicized, regardless of >the country of publication. (Even Greek scientific names would be= italicized >in Greece. I would think it is for emphasis, period. > >Also note that, regardless of what the Web site says, words of foreign >origin are NOT always italicized. English is an amalgamation of many >different languages. We'd go crazy trying to sort out the Saxon terms from >the Celtic terms from the Norse terms from the French terms, etc. (Not to >mention the p-Celtic from the q-Celtic, or whatever.) > >Dave > >-- > David M. Lawrence| Home: (804) 559-9786 > 7471 Brook Way Court | Fax: (804) 559-9787 > Mechanicsville, VA 23111 | Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > USA | http: http://fuzzo.com >-- > >"We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo > >"No trespassing > 4/17 of a haiku" -- Richard Brautigan > > >-Original Message- >From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Inouye >Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2006 1:42 PM >To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU >Subject: why italics? > >Why do we italicize only genus and species names when presenting taxonomic >information? > >One web site I looked at claims that "By the way, the italics are used only >because it is proper, in writing, to italicize words that are in any >language other than English." Aren't any other parts of the taxonomic >hierarchy in Latin? --===AVGMAIL-4468727A6DC2=== Content-Type: text/plain; x-avg=cert; charset=us-ascii; x-avg-checked=avg-ok-67B47AD Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline Content-Description: "AVG certification" No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.5.6/339 - Release Date: 5/14/2006 --===AVGMAIL-4468727A6DC2===--
Re: why italics?
For one, they work in newspapers, not biology. Italicization is a matter of STYLE, not of substance (as is spelling or grammar). Journalists often aren't experts, and most would not know a generic name from a family name. Most readers don't give a damn whether The Scranton Times italicizes scientific names or not. While italicization is important for us, as it makes it easier for us to spot the species in manuscript text, it adds virtually nothing in terms of useful information to the general reader. When The New York Times begins publishing peer-reviewed science journals, that will be the time to take the matter up with the editors. Dave -- David M. Lawrence| Home: (804) 559-9786 7471 Brook Way Court | Fax: (804) 559-9787 Mechanicsville, VA 23111 | Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] USA | http: http://fuzzo.com -- "We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo "No trespassing 4/17 of a haiku" -- Richard Brautigan -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Robert Curry Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2006 7:42 PM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: why italics? I have always thought it strange that the New York Times, supposedly one of the best newspapers in the world, has never seen fit to adopt the standard for presentation of scientific binomials (using italics) that is common throughout biology. Certainly they are capable of printing italics these days. Does anyone know why they don't use italics for binomials? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Robert L. Curry, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Biology Villanova University 800 Lancaster Ave. Villanova PA 19085 Tel. (610) 519-6455 Fax (610) 519-7863 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://oikos.villanova.edu/RLC/ Board member and Webmaster, Ornithological Council http:// www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET Council member, Wilson Ornithological Society, 2004-2007 Council member, American Ornithologists' Union, 2005-2008 Webmaster and Conservation Committee Chair, Delaware Valley Chapter - Society for Conservation Biology http://oikos.villanova.edu/SCB/ "My attention was first thoroughly aroused by comparing together the various specimens ... of the mocking-thrushes" -- Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle, 1845 (2nd edition)
Re: why italics?
And for those who want to find the full code of Zoological nomenclature, it is online available nowadays here: http://www.iczn.org/iczn/index.jsp Kim van der Linde L. Brian Patrick wrote: > To answer this question, I thought that the most logical person to ask > would be a taxonomist. So I forwarded Dr. Inouye's question to Dr. > Charles D. Dondale, Honorary (= Emeritus) Curator of the Arachnid > Section for the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Arachnids. > Here is his answer: > > Answer: Taxonomists operate under a set of Rules of Zoological > Nomenclature. In this little book is found the rule that generic and > species names are to be written in Latin, or in words that are > latinized. Many following rules specify the endings for nouns, > adjectives, etc. Higher categories are not latinized, but have certain > endings such as -idae for family names. Most taxonomists I know keep a > copy of the rules at hand. > > > >> Why do we italicize only genus and species names when presenting >> taxonomic information? >> >> One web site I looked at claims that "By the way, the italics are >> used only because it is proper, in writing, to italicize words that >> are in any language other than English." Aren't any other parts of >> the taxonomic hierarchy in Latin? >> >> > -- http://www.kimvdlinde.com
Re: why italics?
I have always thought it strange that the New York Times, supposedly one of the best newspapers in the world, has never seen fit to adopt the standard for presentation of scientific binomials (using italics) that is common throughout biology. Certainly they are capable of printing italics these days. Does anyone know why they don't use italics for binomials? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Robert L. Curry, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Biology Villanova University 800 Lancaster Ave. Villanova PA 19085 Tel. (610) 519-6455 Fax (610) 519-7863 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://oikos.villanova.edu/RLC/ Board member and Webmaster, Ornithological Council http:// www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET Council member, Wilson Ornithological Society, 2004-2007 Council member, American Ornithologists' Union, 2005-2008 Webmaster and Conservation Committee Chair, Delaware Valley Chapter - Society for Conservation Biology http://oikos.villanova.edu/SCB/ "My attention was first thoroughly aroused by comparing together the various specimens ... of the mocking-thrushes" -- Charles Darwin, Voyage of the Beagle, 1845 (2nd edition)
Re: why italics?
To answer this question, I thought that the most logical person to ask would be a taxonomist. So I forwarded Dr. Inouye's question to Dr. Charles D. Dondale, Honorary (= Emeritus) Curator of the Arachnid Section for the Canadian National Collection of Insects and Arachnids. Here is his answer: Answer: Taxonomists operate under a set of Rules of Zoological Nomenclature. In this little book is found the rule that generic and species names are to be written in Latin, or in words that are latinized. Many following rules specify the endings for nouns, adjectives, etc. Higher categories are not latinized, but have certain endings such as -idae for family names. Most taxonomists I know keep a copy of the rules at hand. > > Why do we italicize only genus and species names when presenting > taxonomic information? > > One web site I looked at claims that "By the way, the italics are > used only because it is proper, in writing, to italicize words that > are in any language other than English." Aren't any other parts of > the taxonomic hierarchy in Latin? > > -- L. Brian Patrick Ph.D. candidate Department of Biological Sciences Kent State University Kent, OH 44242 USA e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: why italics?
My guess is that it's just a matter of style. The binomial is just the generic and specific portion of the name -- not the family, order, etc. Italics are often used as a form of emphasis. Italicizing every taxonomic term up to kingdom that is based on "foreign" roots would dilute the effect. Note that scientific names are generally always italicized, regardless of the country of publication. (Even Greek scientific names would be italicized in Greece. I would think it is for emphasis, period. Also note that, regardless of what the Web site says, words of foreign origin are NOT always italicized. English is an amalgamation of many different languages. We'd go crazy trying to sort out the Saxon terms from the Celtic terms from the Norse terms from the French terms, etc. (Not to mention the p-Celtic from the q-Celtic, or whatever.) Dave -- David M. Lawrence| Home: (804) 559-9786 7471 Brook Way Court | Fax: (804) 559-9787 Mechanicsville, VA 23111 | Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] USA | http: http://fuzzo.com -- "We have met the enemy and he is us." -- Pogo "No trespassing 4/17 of a haiku" -- Richard Brautigan -Original Message- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Inouye Sent: Sunday, May 14, 2006 1:42 PM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: why italics? Why do we italicize only genus and species names when presenting taxonomic information? One web site I looked at claims that "By the way, the italics are used only because it is proper, in writing, to italicize words that are in any language other than English." Aren't any other parts of the taxonomic hierarchy in Latin?
why italics?
Why do we italicize only genus and species names when presenting taxonomic information? One web site I looked at claims that "By the way, the italics are used only because it is proper, in writing, to italicize words that are in any language other than English." Aren't any other parts of the taxonomic hierarchy in Latin?
