Carlos Linneo was the creator in the 18th century of the binomial nomenclature system to classify extinct or current species. Each species would be designated with its generic name, in capital letters, and its specific name, in lowercase, both in italics: v. gr. ‘Canis lupus’ (the wolf). Latin was still the language used by Western scientists, so Linneo decided that species would be written with terms of Greco -Roman or Latinized root. In this way, each species would be recognized without ambiguity with a proper name, which designated a unique entity. With the passage of time new languages appeared and evolving, while classic Latin ceased to be used by speakers. However, binomial nomenclature has crossed all linguistic borders. At present, species names must fit into any language: Chinese, Spanish, French, English …, and do it without any flexion as they were designated at the time, as proper names and with a meaning. Scientific dissemination is increasingly prolific in Spanish and the names of the species are usually accommodated to our grammatical norms. Thus, for example, it is usual to read: the ‘Homo Sapiens’ appeared in Africa …, with article in front of the species name Is it correct? The spelling of the Spanish language and Fundéurae do not seem to make impediments to this extended custom, although not among scientists. Perhaps it would be interesting to listen to the opinion of experienced philologists before reaching such a complacent conclusion. The name of a species is unique, as is the name and surname of a person, and should not carry a specific article: the ‘homo erectus’, or indeterminate: a ‘homo erectus’. In these expressions we have omitted nouns by modifying semantics (metonymy): the species ‘homo erectus’; A specimen of ‘homo erectus’. No one would think of writing: Carmen Gutiérrez, but Mrs. Carmen Gutiérrez. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, article is never put in front of the scientific names, and what would be the rule to put the or in front of a species? When the nominal phrase core is the name of a species we would have to choose the article, male or female. In general there is concordance between the name of the species and the living being that designates: the ‘Gazella Cuvieri’ is the Cuvier gazelle. But, be careful! That they do not always add the common name and name of the species. For example, we write naturally: the European Olea, because the morpheme -it is feminine. However, we all know we are talking about the olive tree. If we write the ‘Tyto Alba’ we remain so wide because the morpheme -or is masculine, when we really refer to the common owl. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, article is never put in front of scientific names. This should enough to set the matter.
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