[Lexicog] Re: Capitalisation of Common Names

[Chaz Mortensen - work]

Greg,

Have you checked with a consultant yet? We use all lower-case. I think  
for dictionary entries they ought to be the same.

I think the problem is that some species are named for areas, the  
names of which are capitalized. So "River Red gum" (gum tree found  
near the River Red?) looks inconsistent. But River Red has to be  
capitalized. However, River Red Gum looks like something that comes in  
commercial packaging and is chewed. On the other hand, if it is a red  
gum tree found near rivers you wouldn't necessarily capitalize it.

If you have a bird book (or tree book or fish book), the species are  
always capitalized.

SO what to do? Like I say, we use lower-case, but then again our  
species names aren't based on named locations, although there are  
mountain macaws, black palm macaws, blood macaws, etc. If you indeed  
have species names based on named locations OR the consultant (or the  
community) insists you capitalize the entries AND it still looks  
inconsistent to you, you can always make special sections for birds,  
toads and frogs, ocean fish, river fish, etc. Some dictionaries have  
these with illustrations as well. Here the names would be capitalized  
as in a bird book.

Best wishes and beware of those who favor birds and flowers over  
against sharks and poison-dart frogs. (Any Dendrobates?)

-Chaz

On Dec 15, 2009, at 5:50 AM, Greg and Heather Mellow wrote:

> 
>
> Apparently there is some controversy about how to capitalise (or  
> capitalize) the common names of plants and animals.
>
> The great white shark and the tiger shark can apparently be written  
> with minuscule, but Cattle Egret and Snowy Egret are written with  
> capitals. The names River Red Gum and Common Daisy are written with  
> capitals, but poison dart frog and cane toad can be written with  
> minuscule.
>
> If I use a combination of capitals and non-capitals for animals and  
> plants, the dictionary will look inconsistent. I have already been  
> 'corrected' for not using capitals, and again for using capitals.
>
> What is common practice among lexicographers of minority languages?
>
> Regards, Greg
>
> 
>

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