News
ENLARGE
Good morning and welcome to Summit Up, the world's only daily column that's more than a little concerned about a movement to make it so scientists don't have to translate everything into Latin.
What in tarnation is the world coming to? We like Latin! It's like this peculiar spice for the written word that makes people A) stop and go ‘what the hey?' and 47) makes you feel all superior and snobby if your'e the one doling out the Latinese.
Writing in the NY Times Sunday, James S. Miller wrote thusly:
“No longer will botanists have to write sentences like: ‘Arbor usque ad 6 m alta. Folia decidua; lamina oblanceolata vel elliptica-oblongata, 2-7 cm longa,' as I did in 2009, describing a new species from Mexico. Instead, I could simply write that Bourreria motaguensis was a six-meter-tall tree with deciduous leaves that were 2 to 7 centimeters long.”
Well where's the fun in that? You'd think someone in a boring field like botany would thrill at the chance to write cool-ass things like “oblanceolata” rather boring old stuff like “leaves” and the like.
THOUSANDS OF ANGRY LOCAL BOTANISTS: How dare you impugn our area of study! Botany is anything but boring! Think of the Venus flytrap, or that super-smelly corpse plant — so not boring! Botany rules!
SU: OK, OK, we're sorry! And hey, maybe it'll be fun to wander through the forest utterly devoid of Latin skills and naming plants as such:
“6-foot reed that was dripping some kinda sklarge off its flowers and smelled like a thing of yogurt left out on the counter for several months during a Las Vegas summer.”
Or ...
“Super-ugly bush-like thingy with nasty thorns and flowers that look like dirty underwear.”
Yeah, maybe botany could be fun!
***
Here's a quick shout-out to Jonny-G's in Frisco: We were in there the other night to score one of Jonny's excellent pizzas when he told us he's got a whole new menu over there. Soups, salads, apps, wings, cheesesteaks and sandwiches are all on the menu now and at pretty mellow prices.
Jonny-G's is upstairs in the Frisco Mall. We happened to be in there when this cool little band called Gilligan Loves MaryAnn was playing. Pretty sweet!
***
Well, we hope ya'll got out skiing or riding some over the weekend. We hear more snow's on the way, so seems like Ullr has finally awakened from his long nap and is back in fightin' form. Thanks Ullr!
Happy Tuesday, Summit County.
We out.
What in tarnation is the world coming to? We like Latin! It's like this peculiar spice for the written word that makes people A) stop and go ‘what the hey?' and 47) makes you feel all superior and snobby if your'e the one doling out the Latinese.
Writing in the NY Times Sunday, James S. Miller wrote thusly:
“No longer will botanists have to write sentences like: ‘Arbor usque ad 6 m alta. Folia decidua; lamina oblanceolata vel elliptica-oblongata, 2-7 cm longa,' as I did in 2009, describing a new species from Mexico. Instead, I could simply write that Bourreria motaguensis was a six-meter-tall tree with deciduous leaves that were 2 to 7 centimeters long.”
Well where's the fun in that? You'd think someone in a boring field like botany would thrill at the chance to write cool-ass things like “oblanceolata” rather boring old stuff like “leaves” and the like.
THOUSANDS OF ANGRY LOCAL BOTANISTS: How dare you impugn our area of study! Botany is anything but boring! Think of the Venus flytrap, or that super-smelly corpse plant — so not boring! Botany rules!
SU: OK, OK, we're sorry! And hey, maybe it'll be fun to wander through the forest utterly devoid of Latin skills and naming plants as such:
“6-foot reed that was dripping some kinda sklarge off its flowers and smelled like a thing of yogurt left out on the counter for several months during a Las Vegas summer.”
Or ...
“Super-ugly bush-like thingy with nasty thorns and flowers that look like dirty underwear.”
Yeah, maybe botany could be fun!
***
Here's a quick shout-out to Jonny-G's in Frisco: We were in there the other night to score one of Jonny's excellent pizzas when he told us he's got a whole new menu over there. Soups, salads, apps, wings, cheesesteaks and sandwiches are all on the menu now and at pretty mellow prices.
Jonny-G's is upstairs in the Frisco Mall. We happened to be in there when this cool little band called Gilligan Loves MaryAnn was playing. Pretty sweet!
***
Well, we hope ya'll got out skiing or riding some over the weekend. We hear more snow's on the way, so seems like Ullr has finally awakened from his long nap and is back in fightin' form. Thanks Ullr!
Happy Tuesday, Summit County.
We out.
