View Full Version : Pronunciation and useage of scientific names
Call me a grammar nazi but I like to know how to properly pronounce these names and also if they're plurals (1 nerite, 5 neriteS)
Some of these might seem obvious, but I'd rather be thorough and make sure than sound like a fool when talking to someone who knows better :) These are just my guesses:
Asolene spixi - Ah-soh-leen (Ah as in apple, soh as in sewing buttons, and leen as in leaning against a wall) spik-see (spik as in pick with an s in front of it, see as in spot run)
Pomacea diffusa - Pom-ah-see-ah (Pom as in palm of your hand, ah as in ahchoo!, see as in spot run, ah as in ahchoo!) diff-yu-sah (diff as in different, yu as in you or I, sah as in rhymes with blah)
Clithon corona - Klai-thon (klai as in climb, thon as in thorn without the r) koh-roh-nah (well, corona like the beer or the layer of the sun :p)
Anentome helena - Ah-nehn-toh-mee (Ah as in ahchoo, nehn as in rhymes with then, toh as in toes on your feet, mee as in you and me) heh-lay-nah or is it hell-ehn-nah?
Nerite - Nair-ai-tee (Nair as in the hair removal product or air with an n in front of it, ai as in eyes for seeing, tee as in golf tee or t-shirt) or Nehr-ai-tee (the only difference here is the first syllable, Nerh as in corner)?
Whew, that was a lot tougher to type out than I thought it'd be. There are other names I wonder about but I can't remember them for the moment.
Lupin
01-05-2009, 10:01 PM
LOL...The nerite pronunciation had me confused. The rest though I pronounce that way.
OgreMkV
01-05-2009, 10:08 PM
Most scientific names are pronounced as chosen by the creator of the name. So many of them don't really match proper Latin pronunciation.
However, a good Latin book will help out with most of it.
vampie
01-05-2009, 10:11 PM
Being the dyslexic that I am, I surely am pronouncing the lot of these wrong.
Asolene - Ah-so-leen-nee
Pomacea - Pom-ah-say-ah
Nerite - Nee-right
Good thing I never had to use these words in actual conversations.
Lupin
01-05-2009, 10:19 PM
I have to admit I always pronounce nerite as "nee-rite".lol
excuzzzeme
01-05-2009, 10:40 PM
I just say "yea, those"!
jpappy789
01-05-2009, 11:31 PM
I say nee-right as well
black_sun
01-06-2009, 12:08 AM
...and this is why I type, rather than speak. X_x
Proper usage is Pomacea bridgesii diffusa. diffusa is the subspecies not the species. For that matter some believe that this is not even the proper name for the aquarium species. It is believed that they are Pomacea bridgesii effusa.
IMO refering to them as Pomacea bridgesii is probably best way to describe them.
aha! thanks h3d! I did wonder about the emergence of diffusa and how to use it. I am still constantly wanting to call them bridgesii out of habit, I guess it's okay to go back to it then :)
Just wondering, do you have any documentation on these classifications?
paperdragon
01-06-2009, 4:56 PM
...and this is why I type, rather than speak. X_x
Seconded.
jpappy789
01-06-2009, 4:56 PM
I call them brigs by habit anyways...
but I'm still confused on the classification as well. I'd like to see some sort of specific journal evidence for which ever side is correct.
msjinkzd
01-06-2009, 4:59 PM
I just call them snails :p
I am sticking with bridgesii as well, lol
I kid, I say po-may-shea, ay-so-leen spixee, nee-rite, clith-on coronah *disclaimer* i say lots of words wrong, but that is how they sound good to me.
I guess all this discussion is just out of curiosity unless I start learning some hardcore Latin. Even then, like OgreMkV said, most names are apparently pronounced however the creator wanted, so let the mangling of Latin begin :D
One more thing, how about Endlicheri bichir? I'm not gonna even try that one but I'm still curious!
msjinkzd
01-06-2009, 5:20 PM
I think its "end-lih-chair-ee biker"
dang that means I lost a bet haha
msjinkzd
01-06-2009, 5:24 PM
here is a resource on pronouncing bichir names: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=814114&postcount=3
I was close!
Just wondering, do you have any documentation on these classifications?
http://www.applesnail.net/ ;)
careful h3d, don't wanna be too specific, now! lol
jpappy789
01-06-2009, 5:54 PM
Eh, I too was hoping for something more conclusive. You can't always trust forums...
I see both names used extensively in both research and info sites...
here is a resource on pronouncing bichir names: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=814114&postcount=3
I was close!
according to that thread...
A species name that ends with two 'i's (like weeksii) would be pronounced with the first 'i' sounding like a long 'e' and the second 'i' as a long 'i'....hence - 'weeks-ee-eye'.
bridgesii should then be pronounced brid-jess-ee-ai right? If so, I've been saying it wrong from the start (brid-jess-ee)
bridgesii should then be pronounced brid-jess-ee-ai right? If so, I've been saying it wrong from the start (brid-jess-ee)
BRIJ-zee-eye
msjinkzd
01-06-2009, 6:38 PM
bridge-ezz-ee-eye, lol...just call them snails :p
Proper usage is Pomacea bridgesii diffusa. diffusa is the subspecies not the species. For that matter some believe that this is not even the proper name for the aquarium species. It is believed that they are Pomacea bridgesii effusa.
IMO refering to them as Pomacea bridgesii is probably best way to describe them.
Did some in depth research and the correct term is Pomacea diffusa as they have been classified as their own species. However there is still the question of whether or not the snails we keep are a bridgesii subspecies Pomacea bridgesii effusa or even their own species.
Flaringshutter
01-07-2009, 11:46 AM
I say
Pom-ay-shuh bridge-es-ee
Ah-sew-lean spick-see
Nee-right
and I try never to say canas' full name, as it sounds like I'm propositioning someone.... haha!
Pom-ay-shuh Can-uh-lick-you-lotta
vampie
01-07-2009, 12:25 PM
and I try never to say canas' full name, as it sounds like I'm propositioning someone.... haha!
Pom-ay-shuh Can-uh-lick-you-lotta
Sure does sound that way. :lol:
The Zigman
01-07-2009, 12:45 PM
I just point ans say " i want that!"
hey... it works for me!
paperdragon
01-07-2009, 12:45 PM
Ok, I say them as pom-ay-see-ya bridge-ess-ee, near-ite...and the others I just leave it at spick-see, and cay-na.
Bridge is one syllable.
Bridge-si-i
BRIJ-zee-eye
fishorama
01-07-2009, 7:46 PM
gads zooks--no wonder my LFS can't understand my pronunciation but I live in the land of "soft" R (say ah!) & (horrors) they say "play-co" wereas I'm a "pleh-co" kinda girl. (I'll go with mister-ee snail but I don't have any ATM)
Notophthalmus
01-07-2009, 8:21 PM
according to that thread...
A species name that ends with two 'i's (like weeksii) would be pronounced with the first 'i' sounding like a long 'e' and the second 'i' as a long 'i'....hence - 'weeks-ee-eye'.
bridgesii should then be pronounced brid-jess-ee-ai right? If so, I've been saying it wrong from the start (brid-jess-ee)
Finally, my Latin classes will pay off!
OK, this is gonna get a little confusing. There's Classical Latin, and there's Ecclesiastical Latin; pronunciations are a bit different in the two, and most modern users of Latin learned one or the other, so there'll be some disagreement there. Then there's a sort of informal scientific Latin pronunciation, which differs from both and is highly variable from country to country, field to field, and individual to individual. It's a real pain to try to keep up with. The best bet is to just hang out with workers in your field and pick up their pronunciations.
Classical Latin pronounces "-ii" as "-ee-ee". I'm not sure on Ecclesiastical, but I believe it does the same or else elides the two syllables into one "-ee". But most scientists (at least in the US) say "-ee-eye" as noted above, probably just to emphasize the second "i".
Some other general notes on Classical pronunciation: "c" and "ch" are always hard (sound like "k"). This rule is usually followed by scientists when it comes to "ch", but is often ignored when it comes to "c"; for example, most English speakers would pronounce "pomacea" as "po-mase-ee-uh", not the Classically correct "po-mah-kay-ah".
"G" is also always hard, as in "good", never soft, as in "gelatin". "V" or "u" before a vowel is usually pronounced like English "w". "J" or "i" before a vowel is usually pronounced like English consonantal "y".
There are no silent "e"s; think of "anemone" and you'll do well. Classical vowels have very different values from English vowels, but that's something so haphazardly followed as to be unhelpful for you to learn.
When words of non-Latin or Greek origin appear, just pronounce them as you normally would. There are lots of proper names from other languages in scientific names.
"Bichir" is confusing. This word is African in origin, but the spelling is French; the French scientists who described the species wrote down the local name as it sounded to them. This means that "bichir" is pronounced as a Frenchman would say it, not a Roman: "buh-sheer".
Finally, my Latin classes will pay off!
OK, this is gonna get a little confusing. There's Classical Latin, and there's Ecclesiastical Latin; pronunciations are a bit different in the two, and most modern users of Latin learned one or the other, so there'll be some disagreement there. Then there's a sort of informal scientific Latin pronunciation, which differs from both and is highly variable from country to country, field to field, and individual to individual. It's a real pain to try to keep up with. The best bet is to just hang out with workers in your field and pick up their pronunciations.
Classical Latin pronounces "-ii" as "-ee-ee". I'm not sure on Ecclesiastical, but I believe it does the same or else elides the two syllables into one "-ee". But most scientists (at least in the US) say "-ee-eye" as noted above, probably just to emphasize the second "i".
Some other general notes on Classical pronunciation: "c" and "ch" are always hard (sound like "k"). This rule is usually followed by scientists when it comes to "ch", but is often ignored when it comes to "c"; for example, most English speakers would pronounce "pomacea" as "po-mase-ee-uh", not the Classically correct "po-mah-kay-ah".
"G" is also always hard, as in "good", never soft, as in "gelatin". "V" or "u" before a vowel is usually pronounced like English "w". "J" or "i" before a vowel is usually pronounced like English consonantal "y".
There are no silent "e"s; think of "anemone" and you'll do well. Classical vowels have very different values from English vowels, but that's something so haphazardly followed as to be unhelpful for you to learn.
When words of non-Latin or Greek origin appear, just pronounce them as you normally would. There are lots of proper names from other languages in scientific names.
"Bichir" is confusing. This word is African in origin, but the spelling is French; the French scientists who described the species wrote down the local name as it sounded to them. This means that "bichir" is pronounced as a Frenchman would say it, not a Roman: "buh-sheer".
:worthy:Just so you know, I'm copying this down and archiving it in my email. :worthy:
LOL..So I pronounced the word 'pomacea' the classical Latin way.:headbang2:
Notophthalmus
01-07-2009, 8:41 PM
:worthy:Just so you know, I'm copying this down and archiving it in my email. :worthy:
Hah! Well, feel free to ask me any specific names you have issues with. I'm sure there's lots of stuff I didn't include there because it didn't occur to me.
you might wanna be more careful with that offer lol
Notophthalmus
01-07-2009, 8:43 PM
LOL..So I pronounced the word 'pomacea' the classical Latin way.:headbang2:
Just curious, Lupin- do you keep your snails and loaches in separate rooms, or do the snails just have to live with the loaches staring at them and licking their chops?
Just curious, Lupin- do you keep your snails and loaches in separate rooms, or do the snails just have to live with the loaches staring at them and licking their chops?
:eek:
They're in separate tanks.:)
Alternatively, the loaches can only press their faces onto the glass while the snails wave and dance at them.
Notophthalmus
01-07-2009, 8:50 PM
Sounds like my Mom's cat- she likes to trot back and forth in front of the dog pen, just to drive the dogs nuts.
Alternatively, the loaches can only press their faces onto the glass while the snails wave and dance at them.
Sounds like my Mom's cat- she likes to trot back and forth in front of the dog pen, just to drive the dogs nuts.
You crack me up.:rofl: :rofl:
pixl8r
01-07-2009, 11:01 PM
I have a few thoughts I'd like to add.
I wish that I'd been able to see this sooner. As an tangent of learning to speak a few languages, I became interested in Latin, as it's roots go deep.
Since it's not a living language, IMO, I don't particularly care how anyone pronounces any of it. I've not formally studied Latin, but long associates of mine have done so their entire lives. I smile, both have definite opinions.
My thought is, it's a very good idea to know 'common name', spell scientific name, and catalog, each species that you're interested in, or own. It's not always fun, with numerous gaps, and countless common names for Neocaridina denticulata sinensis, but it is valuable information. So, pronounce how you like, refer as you will, but try to be specific as you can.
FYI, I've taken to using some of my 6 year old son's naming wisdom, if mostly in my head. MTS are Vampire Teeth snails, due to obvious, visual reasons.
AquaGem
01-11-2009, 8:02 PM
lol that's great. Kids always have the best wisdom :) or... at least the funniest