Hi Conch-L'ers,
I refer to "Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms" by Donald J. Borror. It is
published by Mayfield Publishing Company, Mountain View, California. The original copyright date
is 1960. It was copyrighted again in 1988 with revisions. It contains 134 pages. A passage on
the cover states that the books was "Compiled from the Greek, Latin, and other languages, with
special reference to biological terms and scientific names." This book was recommended by one of
my professors and has been very helpful. I purchased the book for $9.99. 0-87484-053-8 appears
to be the ISBN number. Hope this can be of use to any of you. Take care. Bye for now. :)
Sincerely,
Tim Blackwood
--- "Andrew K. Rindsberg" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear Conchlers,
>
> This may be of particular interest to our Dutch friends, or more generally
> for those who are interested in Latin names and etymology.
>
> Andrew K. Rindsberg
> Geological Survey of Alabama
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Taxacom Discussion List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> veldkamp
> Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2000 5:54 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Plant name dictionary
>
>
> Dear Taxacommers,
>
> In view of occasional requests on the meaning of scientific plant names
> some of you might be interested in this dictionary.
> [note that a) it is _NOT_ on the Web, b) I do not get any royalties]
>
> Dr. C.A. Backer, Verklarend woordenboek van wetenschappelijke plantennamen
> [Explanatory dictionary of scientific plant names]. L.J. Veen, Amsterdam,
> 2000. xxxvi, 664 pp. ISBN 90 204 5846 9. Basic price NGL. 89,95 (c. USD
> 34.50). To be ordered at your local bookstore.
>
> This is a reprint of Backer's monumental 1936 dictionary, regarded by W.T.
> Stearn in his "Dictionary of plant names for gardeners" (1992) as a 'Dutch
> work of unrivaled scholarship on plant names'. The original text is
> preceded by a brief biography of the author by J.F. Veldkamp, National
> Herbarium of the Netherlands, Leiden.
> To facilitate international scientific, commercial, and legal use plants
> and animals have official names, usually derived from Latin or Greek roots.
> Unfortunately, many people find these incomprehensible, unpronounceable,
> and therefore useless. This problem inspired the former primary-school
> teacher and grand old man of Indonesian botany, Dr. C.A. Backer, to compile
> during many decades an immense card index well-researched for the meaning,
> derivation, and pronunciation of scientific family and generic names of the
> flowering plants and ferns occurring in SE Asia and W Europe. With his
> usual wry humour he compared the ever growing number of cards to the
> segments of an immense 'Tapeworm'. When in 1936 there were c. 22,500 of
> these 'segments' his friends and colleagues pressured him to have this
> unique database published.
> Few copies were bought in the ensuing years of economic crisis and war and
> because of the contemporary paper shortage the stock was ordered to be
> pulped. Now, nationally and internationally, the book is much sought after
> as most of those sold are locked up in academic libraries. Very
> exceptionally, perhaps once in 20--25 years, antiquarians or auction houses
> have a copy available and it then goes at a formidable high price, NGL
> 1000.00 (c. USD 385.00) has been mentioned.
> There are several similar dictionaries, especially in English and German,
> but none has this size and erudition. Also of note are the author's
> occasional witty to sarcastic circumscriptions. Many plants have been named
> after discoverers, horticulturists, politicians, and mythological
> characters - for about 2,700 of these Backer provides brief biographies
> with fascinating anecdotes, thereby giving this encyclopaedia an additional
> attraction. For everyone interested in the names of plants, either as a
> hobby or as a profession, 'Backer' is a gold mine and absolutely
> indispensable. It is nearly worth learning Dutch for.
__________________________________________________
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