“Visiting names is the beginning of wisdom” Antisthenes “Nomina si nescis, perit et cognitio rerum” Linnaeus “In order to know what we mean and why” C. Bouchelos
All known animals and plants have been given so-called “scientific names”, which are a common means of communication for the international scientific community. It began with the great Aristotle and was systematized by Linnaeus and more recent naturalists.
These names have come to be derived from the paraphrasing and romanization of words, almost exclusively in Ancient Greek. The reason why, is obvious: The Greek language, the greatest and most perfect monument of Mankind and Mother of languages, is the only one that is able to cover in names, the infinite number of animals, plants and even stars. That the Greek origin of names is not always understood, even by Greek-speaking scientists, is also obvious: For many decades now, in “education” and not Paideia, its great importance is rarely or not at all emphasized, the origin of a large number of “foreign” languages from it, its sickness in the mental health and prosperity of those who speak it correctly, its enormous contribution to the communication of the scientists of the planet and so many others, since some people made sure to “kill” Homer…
By visiting (thinking on = deepening) the names, of insects mainly – because of the subject matter – I saw the interpretation pop up: betarmon = betarmon = pacing in harmony, dinoderus = dynos (strong) + tire (throat). ∆But we say necklace, while deras = skin (trachyderos) and so on. Since the Orders of insects are many, the Families many more and the species endless, I started with names of genera of copepods.
Several times it is difficult or impossible to interpret the meaning of names, as it is not always possible to “read” the inspiration or sensibility of the person who “christened” each insect. When I became involved in the subject several years ago, I was so carried away by the interest in the matter that I reached and exceeded 1000 names!
My wish is: that some people will continue the effort with other Orders of insects, animals and plants.
Let’s “save anything if it can be saved”. It’s worth it for us and our children. Let us, at least scientists, know what we say and what we mean!
This article is part of the introductory text of the booklet “Insect Coleoptera: Generic Names”. The booklet was printed with the sponsorship of Agrotypo SA and distributed free of charge to the participants at the 12th Panhellenic Entomological Congress, Larnaca, Cyprus, 13-16 November 2007.
