Do scientists ever give things simple names?

Question

Or is it a rule to give names that most people cant pronounce without practice?

the best thing about the answers is im learning new words that I'll forget as soon as I leave this page. But hey at least I have knowledge for a minute.

Answer 1

They like to use dead languages to name things. Why? I don't know. I'd rather call a butterfly a butterfly than erectus antennus flutterus.

Answer 2

i agree that once you learn the meanings of some things it makes it so much better to understand things..look at all the names used at hosptials....they have the same basis
like psudo/ phyllo = false
podia = feet (like in podiatrist)
claddus = leaf
so psuedopodia= false feet
pyllocladdus = false leaves

If you make an effort to try and learn a few...ie I have seen a great game to make up names for dinoisaurs from a list of names like
giagntuscephaloblancopodia = roughly and incoreect grammer but means giant heat, white feet

Or
quadrocepolohirstuteumpedia = 4 headed hairy legs!!!
You can have a lot of fun and you will quickly learn some names (chose only a few limited names to start with, then increase numbers as you learn them)

Also just to point out the usefulness of the scientific name, as common names are often given to many different things, while 1 species will have 1 name...
All names have to be in Latin (the language of science) too....this was initially so that anyone, speaking any language would be able to communicate in latin!!
Once you practice them you will see some words you know, break down the word and have a go...remember even words like fungi can be said fun-guy, fun-ji, fun-gee!! I say things slightly differently to other people, but hey...who cares!!

Answer 3

Well the reason scientist give such complex names ( I know how you feel) is to give names that are unique to the organism. Before they started to make such big names they would make name so long that it would go on for a page or 2. Like a beetle would the the the bug with large Sharpe intricate pincers with mauve octo...... See what i mean. So Now they use Latin so they can give a unique name with out going on for ever.

Answer 4

Here are some plant and animal names that are pretty easy to pronounce:
Asparagus, Aster, Bison, Geranium, Iris, Magnolia, Petunia, Phlox, Sassafras, Zinnia, Viola, Rosa, Pinus, Lilium, Rhinoceros, Sassafras, Ulmus, Gorilla, Alligator, Lemur.

Also, there are virtually no rules for pronunciation of Latin names, so you can hardly go wrong. Just try to pronounce all the letters.
Here are some scientific names from chemistry that are not too hard: oxygen, neon, helium, carbon, hydrogen, iron, gold, copper, water, carbon dioxide, fat, sugar.
From biology: leaf, root, cell, nerve, blood, liver, heart.
From geology: rock, mineral, lake, river, ocean.
From astronomy: star, planet, galaxy, light, telescope.
Need I go on?

Answer 5

Many names are simple.

Felis leo is a lion.
Bufo bufo is a common toad.
Mus musculus is a house mouse.

However, most seem complicated until you get used to them. The beauty of these names is that they generally have a meaning related to the organism. So Acer saccharum is a sugar maple. Saccharum - saccharide - saccharine -- all refer to sugar.

Answer 6

The names that scientists use actually make things *easier* to communicate.

If two plant experts are talking about roses, are they talking about dog roses (Rosa canina) or prarie roses (Rosa sericea). You might say "ok, but why not say 'dog rose' or 'prarie rose'?" ... Well, what happens when rose specialists in England want to communicate with rose specialists in Germany or Spain.

The other thing they do is use Latin roots. These things make it easier to understand concepts that are related, or to invent new words.

Answer 7

yes. it's called the "common" name. for example: sodium hypochlorite = bleach

the tricky, hard to pronounce nomenclature is a universally understood standard. just as how everyone has agreed to name the elements by how the periodic table describes.

Answer 8

scientist give thing hard name because they are name after some specie or they are name after the person who found them. they do give simple name if the orgin have a simple name

Answer 9

yes. No lie in our ap bio book we read about this new gene discovered named the Sonic hedgehog gene. "it provides dorsal-ventral information in vertebrates which is expressed in mammalian notochord and induces cells in the overlying neural tube to have fates characteristics of ventral spinal cord cells."