Fw: Nomenclature

Jim McKenney jimmckenney@starpower.net
Mon, 11 Jul 2005 12:09:55 PDT
Thanks, Paige.

In my recent posting about the dieresis, I indicated that I thought the use
of the dieresis was optional and that I would check.

Here's what the Rules say:

60.6. Diacritical signs are not used in Latin plant names. In names (either
new or old) drawn from words in which such signs appear, the signs are to be
suppressed with the necessary transcription of the letters so modified; for
example ä, ö, ü become, respectively, ae, oe, ue; é, è, ê become e, or
sometimes ae; ñ becomes n; ø becomes oe; å becomes ao. The diaeresis,
indicating that a vowel is to be pronounced separately from the preceding
vowel (as in Cephaëlis, Isoëtes), is permissible; the ligatures -æ- and -œ-,
indicating that the letters are pronounced together, are to be replaced by
the separate letters -ae- and -oe-.

I assume that "permissible" means that you can use it if you want to but are
not obligated to use it. 

Jim McKenney


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