Linne or Linnaeous question

[Lynn Raw]

Robin,

Depending on the sense of the text, CAROLO LINNAEO could correctly be either
the dative or ablative singular of his name. So, it could mean either 'to or
for' CL or 'by, with or from' CL. This is proper Latin usage and not a slip
into Italian.

Lynn
London, UK


----- Original Message -----
From: "Robin Leech" <releech at TELUSPLANET.NET>
To: <TAXACOM at LISTSERV.NHM.KU.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 12:39 AM
Subject: Re: Linne or Linnaeous question


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Further to Petit's comments, I add:

When Linnaeus and Clerck were alive, the international social language was
French, hence Linne (letter "e" with an acute accent).  The international
scientific language then and for many, especially in Europe, was Latin.

I have just looked at my copies of the following books:

The title page of the 10th Edition of Systema Naturae reads: CAROLI LINNAEI.
The 1753 edition (volume I) of Species Plantarum reads: CAROLI LINNAEI

Just for the hell of it, I checked in Charles Clerck's (=Carl Clerck in
Swedish, and Caroli Clerck in Latin) 1757 book on spiders titled "Svenska
Spindlar/Aranei Svecici", and Clerck, last page of text, wrote CARL LINNAEUS
at the upper half of the page (in Swedish), and CAROLO LINNAEO in the bottom
half of the page (in Latin).  With tongue in cheek, I comment that perhaps
Clerck was giving Linnaeus an Italian name.

The name "Linnaei" is genitive, and when it moves to the nominative case, it
becomes "Linnaeus".

The problem about which of the above names to use can be solved if one
reverts to the capital letter "L." with a period following.  When this is
done, and Linnaeus is the only one for whom "L." can be written, it solves
all the nationalistic and emotional situations.

Hope this helps, Soowon.

Robin Leech



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