Re: Correct plant names

**"Peter Loewer" t*@earthlink.net**

Once and for all: This nation is on a downward slope because about 25 years
ago (give or take five years), the American zeitgeist (or whatever passes
for it) decided to go the politically correct route and at the same time
dumb down America! It is in everything we do from the time we wake in the
morning and turn on the news to the time we go to bed and bid adieu to world
events. Our politicians, our educators, our fellow Americans have now
decided that either the citizenry rejects education or are not worthy of it.
The Bohemian Class is now struggling to stay afloat. There is a pronounced
war on intellectuals, our movie stars are basically grown children, our
basic movies are produced for the age group under 25, our TV newscasters
spend more time on makeup than they do on story preparations--need I go on?
As to newspapers, most of them now use extension agents as garden reporters
becuase they do the jop free, being paid employees of the county they work
within. Best, Peter
----- Original Message -----
From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
To: "Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum"
<gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>; <gardenwriter@mindspring.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2003 1:09 AM
Subject: Re: [GWL] Correct plant names


> Something I have never been able to grasp is why the use of botanical
> names is such an issue in the US.  Why aren't they used as a matter
> of course here as they are in other countries?  Why does it seem to
> be the policy of assorted publishers (primarily newsprint and
> magazines) to dumb down articles by either omitting the botanical
> name or putting it in parentheses after whichever common name they
> select for the plant?  I know that one author of a regular column in
> the Washington Post was told by his editor NOT to use botanical names
> unless there was no other name for the plant.
>
> Anybody have any insight or opinions on this?
>
> Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
> mtalt@hort.net
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> ----------
> > From: Nan Sterman <nsterman@plantsoup.com>
> >
> I think what is most important is to encourage readers and gardeners
> to use botanical names rather than common names.  I don't care so
> much about the pronunciation as I do about accuracy.
>
> Gardeners often hesitate to use botanical names for fear of
> mispronunciation.  My feeling is, if they emphasize the wrong
> syllable or get the vowels a bit out of order, that is far better
> than using the common name and confusing everyone.  I'd rather they
> try than shy away from the Latin (or Greek or...).   In addition,
> botanical names are such a treasure trove of information about a
> plant's heritage, that it adds another huge dimension to gardening.
>
> In the end, gardeners become more competent plants people, better
> communicators, and feel more confident about their skill if they feel
>
> confident about using botanical names, whether or not they are
> properly pronounced.  Eventually, they will encounter someone who
> will (hopefully gently) correct them.
>
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