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The Naming of the Shrew: A Curious History of Latin Names
John Wright
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Description for The Naming of the Shrew: A Curious History of Latin Names
Paperback. Num Pages: 320 pages, B&W. BIC Classification: 2ADL; CFF. Category: (G) General (US: Trade); (P) Professional & Vocational; (U) Tertiary Education (US: College). Dimension: 130 x 198 x 22. Weight in Grams: 222.
Latin names - frequently unpronounceable, all too often wrong and always a tiny puzzle to unravel - have been annoying the layman since they first became formalised as scientific terms in the eighteenth century. Why on earth has the entirely land-loving Eastern Mole been named Scalopus aquaticus, or the Oxford Ragwort been called Senecio squalidus - `dirty old man'? What were naturalists thinking when they called a beetle Agra katewinsletae, a genus of fish Batman, and a Trilobite Han solo? Why is zoology replete with names such as Chloris chloris chloris (the greenfinch), and Gorilla gorilla ... Read more
Latin names - frequently unpronounceable, all too often wrong and always a tiny puzzle to unravel - have been annoying the layman since they first became formalised as scientific terms in the eighteenth century. Why on earth has the entirely land-loving Eastern Mole been named Scalopus aquaticus, or the Oxford Ragwort been called Senecio squalidus - `dirty old man'? What were naturalists thinking when they called a beetle Agra katewinsletae, a genus of fish Batman, and a Trilobite Han solo? Why is zoology replete with names such as Chloris chloris chloris (the greenfinch), and Gorilla gorilla ... Read more
Product Details
Publisher
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format
Paperback
Publication date
2015
Condition
New
Number of Pages
320
Place of Publication
London, United Kingdom
ISBN
9781408865552
SKU
V9781408865552
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 5 to 9 working days
Ref
99-50
About John Wright
John Wright is a passionate natural historian and the author of the River Cottage Handbooks Mushrooms, Edible Seashore, Hedgerow and Booze. As well as writing for national publications, he often appears on the River Cottage series for Channel 4. He gives lectures on natural history and every year he takes around fifty 'forays' showing people how to collect food - ... Read more
Reviews for The Naming of the Shrew: A Curious History of Latin Names
Who would have thought that a book about Latin names could be quite so compelling!!
Alan Titchmarsh
Brims with verbal curiosities
Nature
Nature writing at its best: insightful, entertaining and often very funny
British Wildlife
I have not fully recovered from the discovery that the proper Latin name of the western lowland gorilla is ... Read more
Alan Titchmarsh
Brims with verbal curiosities
Nature
Nature writing at its best: insightful, entertaining and often very funny
British Wildlife
I have not fully recovered from the discovery that the proper Latin name of the western lowland gorilla is ... Read more