[Taxacom] italicizing names

[Richard Zander]

Yes, the Botanical Code says use italics for all ranks. So what journals insist on this meddling? The logic is the same as that which brought us the monstrosity of autonyms, namely mere consistency and totally unnecessary logic. I say we should unite and resist this imposition, and simply let usage rule.


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Richard H. Zander
Missouri Botanical Garden – 4344 Shaw Blvd. – St. Louis – Missouri – 63110 – USA
richard.zander at mobot.org 
Web sites: http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/bfnamenu.htm and http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/ 


-----Original Message-----
From: Taxacom [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Paul van Rijckevorsel
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2015 2:27 PM
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] italicizing names

From: "Nadia Talent" <nadia.talent at utoronto.ca>
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2015 6:34 PM

> May I suggest that for an “introductory biology textbook” the ICZN is 
> not the entire story? The relevant part of the ICN is the preface: 
> "scientific names under the jurisdiction of the Code, irrespective of 
> rank, are consistently printed in italic type”.
> http://www.iapt-taxon.org/nomen/main.php?page=pf

***
Yes, there is more than one Code of nomenclature. The style adopted by all the Codes of nomenclature for their own use (in the respective Codes themselves) is to italicize all scientific names. The exception is the zoological Code which uses three different styles, depending on the 'range'
of scientific name.

The connection with Latin is not all that strong: when it was decided that the ICBN (now ICNafp) was going to consistently italicize all scientific names (in all ranks) it was also decided to drop italicization for Latin words and phrases, so as to have the scientific names stand out better. And the Code for viruses italicizes all scientific names, although many of these do not have a Latin form at all.

Outside the Codes scientific names may occasionally be presented in bold, and it is not all uncommon to have an index presenting scientific names in roman, bold and italics concurrently, to indicate their status.

Paul
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