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ORTHOGRAPHIC ERRORS AND ORTHOGRAPHIC VARIANTS
I11 Variants Arising f r o m Use of Different Connecting Vowels and S t e m s
P r o p o s a l s to Amend Rule 27 of the International
Bacteriological Code of Nomenclature
P r e l i m i n a r y Statement (Concluded)
Orthographic v a r i a n t s i n formation of compound n a m e s of taxa may a r i s e
through the u s e of different connecting vowels and through the u s e of diff e r e n t s t e m s o r combining f o r m s derived f r o m the s a m e root.
OrthonraDhic v a r i a n t s a r i s i n e f r o m u s e of different
connectinn vowels i n comrJound words
Kecommendation 27h s t a t e s : - "In the formation of names o r epithets c o m posed of two o r s e v e r a l r o o t s t a k e n f r o m L a t i n o r G r e e k , the vowel plated between the two roots b e c o m e s a connecting vowel, in Latin usually
i , in G r e e k usually?
When the second root begins with a vowel and
euphony r e q u i r e s , the connecting vowel should be eliminated. The connecting vowels
should b e retained only w h e r e this i s r e q u i r e d f o r etymological r e a s o n s . In c e r t a i n compounds of G r e e k w o r d s , no connect
ing vowel i s r e q u i r e d , e . g. b r a c h y c a r p u s and g l y c y p h y l l u s . "
-
=
-
Note 2 , Rule 27 r e a d s , "The u s e of a wrong connecting vowel o r vowels
o r the omission of a connecting vowelin a specific epithet o r in the name
of a genus is t r e a t e d as an unintentional orthographic e r r o r which m a y
be c o r r e c t e d .
The p r o b l e m s m a y be d i s c u s s e d u n d e r t h r e e headings, orthographic v a r i ants a r i s i n g f r o m u s e of different connecting vowels (1) in Latin c o r n pounds, ( 2 ) in G r e e k compounds and ( 3 ) i n n o m i n a h y b r i d a .
(1) Orthographic v a r i a n t s a r i s i n g f r o m u s e of different
connecting vowels in compounds d e r i v e d f r o m L a t i n .
Recommendation 27h is explicit i n the s t a t e m e n t that the connecting vowel in Latin compounds should b e i , and Note 2 of Rule 27 e q u a l l y c l e a r
that e r r o r s should be c o r r e c t e d . These recommendations a g r e e with
those of the Botanical Code. Anexamination of the n a m e s of the higher
microbiological taxa r e v e a l s relatively few compounds d e r i v e d f r o m the
Latin. Somewhat l a r g e r n u m b e r s of such compounds a r e to be found i n
specific epithets. Surprisingly, many of t h e s e L a t i n compounds have o
r a t h e r t h a n i as the connecting vowel. The following examples will illust r a t e . In a p a r t i a l compilation of Latincompounds u s e d i n microbiology
(bacteriology, mycology, algology, virology, protozoo1ogy)with the cornbining form*-(from
a l b u s )as the f i r s t c o m p o n e n t , 117 i n a l l , 24 w e r e
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found to have the connecting vowel and 93 the connecting vowel 0. In
the index of Bergey's Manual of Determinative Bacteriology (Ed. 6 ) , of
the specific epithets listed, one only, a l b i l i n e a n s has the connecting
voweli, and eleven have?, a t e r = black appears twice a s a t r 0 - ;a u
r e u s = golden twice as a u r e o - ; f l a v u s = yellow twice a s f l a v i
and ten times as f l a v o
i
- -
-.
Harper's Latin Dictionary (edited by Lewis and Short)lists 6 compounds
w i t h a l b i - a n d t w o w i t h a l b o - . One ofthe l a t t e r , a l b o g i l v u s , i s t h e
prototype of the l a r g e number af Latin compound adjectives that relate
to color and that have 2 a s the connecting vowel. No special o r serious
problems have a r i s e n innomenclature a s a result of the general ignoring
of the provisions of Recommendation 27h, and certainly relatively few
corrections have been made under the provisions of Note 2 . The need
for the latter may be questioned.
Draft R
ecommendation.
-------------------
In the formation of compoundnamee
of taxa and of specific epithets from the Latin the p r e f e r r e d connecting
vowel is i. Such compound names differing in spelling only by having
the connecting vowel F o r c a r e ( a r e not) to be regarded as orthographic variants. Names of taxa which a r e such orthographic variant8
and based upon different types a r e ( a r e not) to be regarded a s homonyms. The spelling used for each taxon o r specific epithet should be
that used by the author when the compound was validly published.
( 2 ) Orthographic variants arising from use of different
connecting vowels in compounds derived from Greek.
The Greeks formed many compound words. The rules for making such
cornpounds were somewhat more complex than would be expected from
a reading of Recommendation 27h which s t r e s s e s the use of the connecting vowel,
This rule in classical Greek applied only to compounds
i n which the f i r s t component was a noun (substantive) o r a n adjective,
not t o those i n which the first component was a preposition, adverb o r
inseparable prefix. Furthermore, as noted in Recommendation 27 h,
"In certain compounds of Greek words no connecting vowel is required
e.g. b r a c h y c a r p u s and g l y c y p h y l l u s . ' I Exceptions of this type
s e e m in general to be compounds in which the first component is an adas yhuxij = g 1y c y , sweet ;
jective with the neuter nominative ending in
B P ~ X= b~ r a c h'y ; short; noh6 = p o 1y , many, a l a o nouns ending in a s
&OTU = a s t y , city.
-
z,
-
Some special exceptions may be noted a s f r o m xop'u'vq = c o r y n e = club
was derived xop~vqcp5poc = c o r y n e p h o r u s = club-bearing, and f r o m this
precedent we have the modern C o r y n e b a c t e r i u m , a n d i n s t r i c t conformity with the recommendation an orthographic variant, C o r y n o b a ct e r i u m . In c a s e s in which there is good c l a s s i c precedent n a m e s
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may well be accepted even with a combining vowel other than
2.
Draft Recommendation.
-----
The combining vowel i n G r e e k compounds in which the f i r s t component i s a noun (substantive) o r a a e c t i v e
is u s u a l l y o . It may be omitted if the second component begins with a
vowel. It is omitted when the f i r s t component ends in y, e . g. g 1y c y p h y l l u 8 . Another combiningvowelmaybe u s e d i f t h e r e is good G r e e k
precedent, e . g . a s i n c o r y n e b a c t e r i u m . N a m e s o f t a x a o r of s p e cific epithets which a r e Greek compounds and differ only in the p r e s e n c e
o r absence of the combiningvowel,, o r have another combining vowel,
a r e ( a r e not) to be r e g a r d e d a e orthographic v a r i a n t s . If the names a r e
based upon dlfferent types they a r e ( a r e not) to be regarded a s homonyms. The c o r r e c t spelling i s that used by the author of the name in
i t s initial and valid publication.
---I----------
( 3 ) Orthographic variants arising f r o m use of different
connecting vowels in nomina hybrida.
Both bacteriological and botanical codes contain a recommendation that
compound generic names made by combining words of different languages
( n o m i n a h y b r i d a ) should beavoided. Recommendation5aof the Bacteriological Code r e a d s , "Bacteriologists who a r e forming new generic
o r subgeneric names should attend to the following recommendations:
(5. ) Not to make names by combining words f r o m different language6
(n o rn i n a h y b r i d a ). I '
-
It is interesting to note that t h e r e is no such recommendation in either
the botanical o r the bacteriological code relating to the formation of s p e cific o r subspecific epithets f r o m words of two languages. The reason
for this omission is not c l e a r .
Latin-Greek and Greek-Latin hybrid generic names a r e commonin bacteriology. The following n o m i n a h y b r i d a R e n e r i c a a r e recognized
in the sixth edition of Berge-rls Manual: T h i o b a c i l l u s , A c e . t o b a c
t e r , Z y m o s a r c i n a , F l a v o b a c t e r i u m , M a l l e o m y c e s , &tinobacillus, Fusobacterium, Sideroca
Thiosarcina, Thiocapsa and Cristispira
-
-
-
There i s no provision inany code of nomenclature authorizing the r e m o deling of such n o m i n a h y b r i d a . They do not cause eerious confusion
except when they appear as alternative spellings. Obviouely no r e c o m mendation a s to a suitable combining vowel c a n be made. However, it
may be noted that i n the examples quoted the combining vowel i n e a c h
case
isz.
D r a f t R e c o m m e n d a t i o n . Compoundworde d e r i v e d f r o m two o r
m o r e languages (n o m i n a h Y b r i d a ) shall (shall not) be regarded a e
orthographic variants if they differ only in the combining vowel. If two
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a r e n a m e s of taxa having different types they should (should not) be r e g a r d e d a s homonyms. The spelling f i r s t u s e d by an author i n the valid
publication of a name should govern.
Orthographic v a r i a n t s a r i s i n g f r o m u s e of different
combining f o r m s o r s t e m s of the s a m e word
T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l c a t e g o r i e s of t h e s e v a r i a n t s . The m o s t i m p o r t a n t a r e
d e r i v e d f r o m w o r d s , usually G r e e k , which i n composition show two s t e m s .
The l a r g e s t single group of these is that of G r e e k neuter nouns which in
the nominative end i n - = = - ma and in the genitive i n - p c i ~ o s= m a t i s .
Buck and P e t e r s o n (1) l i s t about 3300 such G r e e k words. C l e m e n t s ( 2 )
a f t e r a detailed study of the p r o b l e m , advised that the p r o p e r s t e m or
longer f o r m i s t o b e p r e f e r r e d .
-- -
The compounds and derivatives of & L F ,~& L p f f T o C =haema, haematis
may be used to i l l u s t r a t e . The G r e e k s u s e d both h a e m and h a e m a t
as the combining f o r m . One finds i n the index of the sixth edition of the
Bergey Manual the f o r m h a e m a t o - 3 t i m e s , h a e m o - 8 t i m e s , and the
alternative t r a n s l i t e r a t i o n , h e m o - 6 t i m e s . I t i s evident that in b a c t e riology the shortened f o r m i s the m o r e c o m m o n l y u s e d f o r the f i r s t c o m ponent of the compound word.
-
It m a y be well to r e c o m m e n d the u s e of the longer combining f o r m i n all
w o r d s in which t h e r e is not a l r e a d y good G r e e k p r e c e d e n t f o r the u s e of
the s h o r t e r . But the employment of the s h o r t e r f o r m apparently c a u s e s
no confusion, and t h e r e is no need of c o r r e c t i o n . What should b e the a n s w e r when two words a r e d e r i v e d f r o m the s a m e G r e e k nouns, the f i r s t
of them f r o m n e u t e r ending in m a , one of the w o r d s using the shortened
and the o t h e r the full s t e m ? S K u l d none, f o r example, recognize two
g e n e r i c n a m e s H a e m a t o c o c c u s and H a e m o c o c c u s a s distinct o r
as orthographic v a r i a n t s ; and, if based upon different types, should they
be r e g a r d e d as homonyms? It would s e e m that l e a s t confusion will follow
i f the two n a m e s a r e r e g a r d e d as distinct. What h a s been s a i d applies
particularly to compounds in which a combining f o r m with two spellings
is u s e d a s the f i r s t component. When the combining f o r m i s the l a s t c o m ponent of a g e n e r i c name, the shortened f o r m should not be u s e d in the
formation of the n a m e s of higher taxa if s e r i o u s confusion is to be avoided.
A family name d e r i v e d f r o m S p i r o n e m a would be S p i r o n e m a t a c e ae, notspironemaceae.
-
-
D r a f t R e c o m m e n d a t i o n . In the formation of compound n a m e s
o r specific epithets f r o m w o r d s ( p a r t i c u l a r l y G r e e k w o r d s ) which in
c r e a s e i n the genitive, i t is p r e f e r a b l e to u s e the longer s t e m unless
t h e r e is good G r e e k precedent f o r the u s e of the a l t e r n a t i v e s t e m s o r
combining f o r m s a r e ( a r e not) t o be r e g a r d e d as orthographic variants.
If b a s e d upon different typtr they are ( a r e not) to be r e g a r d e d as homo-
-
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nyms. However, when the word constitutes the final component of a
g e n e r i c name, the longer s t e m should be u s e d in the formation of the
n a m e s of higher taxa; if the s h o r t e r s t e m h a s been used the spelling
should (should not) be c o r r e c t e d .
REFERENCES
Buck, C. D. and W. P e t e r s o n . A R e v e r s e Index of G r e e k Nouns and
Adjectives. U. of Chicago P r e e s . 1945.
2 . Clements, F . E . G r e e k and L a t i n i n Biological Nomenclature.
University Studies. U. of Nebraska, 3:l-84. 1902.
1.
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