[Taxacom] Objective synonyms?

[Geoffrey Read]

Stephen Thorpe wrote:

> I actually agree with you that we should leave terms like "synonym" >
with the loose intuitive meanings that they indeed have.

In common parlance but not under the ICZN.

> However, some among us (the more "anal" personalities) ...

You mean people (dict. definition) with "personality traits such as
parsimony, meticulousness, and ill humor"?  Obviously the first
(particularly) and second are highly appropriate for this list. Not sure
that the last is that common here, but it can slip out when  people (other
people always) are exasperatingly obtuse, and persistent.

> seem to think that these terms have more
> precise "official" definitions, which they do not, despite the efforts of
> those who write glossaries.

Well, words change meaning all the time, and yes, they're only loosely
agreed conventions  to enable us to communicate, but repeatedly it's been
pointed out that the ICZN meaning of objective synonym is clear enough to
most (see Gary Rosenberg's post), despite some really odd interpretations
revealed here.

Geoff