does the hobby struggle to update its language?

[oxo]

in the same light as all the recent threads about hobby pet peeves and myths, i wanted to ask how you guys think about the choice of terms used in the hobby, especially for livestock.

a lot of species we simply refer to by their common names, but others we call a nickname for the whole group, a genus, or a species name -- even when they're no longer accurate, or borderline misleading (and i mean species, not morphs in which common names are necessary).

first thing that comes to mind in the notion of "real" vs "fake" peppermint shrimp, but also some things like fathead dendrophyllia/dendros (Eguchipsammia fistula), or aiptasia-eating berghia nudibranchs (Aeolidiella stephanieae).
some of these reclassifications occurred 20+ years ago, but the hobby doesn't update its language often.

maybe i'm just a newgen reefkeeper, because i see why continuing to use older names makes sense, but i feel like more use of proper scientific names in the hobby would make research easier and reduce confusion by bridging an additional gap between hobby knowledge and references outside of it.

in a way this kinda ties in too with discussion about updating hobby wisdom, like notions about water chemistry and cycling as we improve our understanding and dispel myths, but i'm never really seen names be acknowledged.
what do you guys think? any other examples of name confusion, or is this totally a non-issue?

 

[BryanM]

So it definitely isn't a non-issue, but I don't think it is a big issue either. It's pretty quick to figure things out with a quick google search.

I find coral naming more problematic honestly.

 

[MoshJosh]

I know one guy who's been trying to get us to stop calling it kalkwasser for ages. . .

Probably has to do with convenience, tradition, and differing levels of experience in the hobby.

I think the use of scientific names is more. . . "Meaningful"? at the higher levels of reefing where as when you are just starting out it is not so important and or maybe overwhelming?

Its also probably has something to do with sales/marketing. If you want to sell a newbie a reef tank you probably aren't gonna start with "which amphirpion species do you want, we have ocillaris, percula, and clarkii. Then again you could get a bicinctus, either way they all should engage in symbiosis with the Entacmaea quadricolor your eyeing over there". . . And since we all started as newbies we all learned that lingo. . .

Just spit balling here

I have definitely spit out scientific names to other reefers and then lol at me like I was crazy

 

[pooootiqe]

You gonna convince the world to use “Arachis hypogaea paste” instead of peanut butter first…

IMO as long as the common name points to the correct thing it’s fine…

 

[pooootiqe]

I know one guy who's been trying to get us to stop calling it kalkwasser for ages. . .

I've heard the term "supersaturated" kalkwasser a million times in Youtube videos... ticks me off a little bit every time

 

[oxo]

You gonna convince the world to use “Arachis hypogaea paste” instead of peanut butter first…

IMO as long as the common name points to the correct thing it’s fine…

i get what you're saying and i agree, but it'd be a little different if there were 2-3 types of peanut butter, all called peanut butter, once is nice to bake with and the others cause the rest of your ingredients to explode (not that mixups are usually that extreme, but you get what i mean)
:face-with-spiral-eyes:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I know one guy who's been trying to get us to stop calling it kalkwasser for ages. . .

I resemble that remark. Lol

But at least it is a correct word, if not in the language being used.

Melting of CaCO3/CO2 reactor media, however, is not correct in any language. lol

 

[Miami Reef]

Melting of CaCO3/CO2 reactor media, however, is not correct in any language. lol

How about melting corals? :grinning-face-with-sweat:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How about melting corals? :grinning-face-with-sweat:

lol.yes

 

[BeanAnimal]

PAR is not a measurement unit. PAR defines what is being measured, typically conveyed as. PPFD. So you did not measure 427 PAR, you measured 427 PPFD.

Electrocution - death by electricity has been misused as "shocked" for so long, that those that define things have simply changed the definition of electrocution to include the act of being shocked....

Imploding buildings... no, they don't implode. They collapse due to explosive support removal, implosion has absolutely nothing at all to do with any of it. The Titan sub imploded, the collapse of a star as it goes extinct is... well anyway.

Be careful going down this rabbt hole, as statistically, those obsessed with correcting grammar and precision at all costs are slightly more likely to share personality traits with serial killers.

 

[Tony Thompson]

I dont see the need for the hobby in general to keep up to date with changes to taxonomic classification. Its just a hobby.

However in Europe we speak a number of different languages so the use of the latin name is very helpful to overcome language barriers.

Also Taxonomic research, CITES and the trade all work at a different pace. Old references are often used just for continuity.

With regards "True" peppermint shrimp , this also highlights a problem within the hobby, especially social media and forums. I often see published papers cited in threads, where it is very clear the person commenting has not read the whole paper or has not used due diligence with the references. This, as in the case of the Lysmata sp. has created a myth, that like mud seems to have stuck. This myth is also often used in marketing to promote a particular species for aiptasia control.

 

[Ooh fiddlesticks]

Be careful going down this rabbt hole, as statistically, those obsessed with correcting grammar and precision at all costs are slightly more likely to share personality traits with serial killers.

So the question is; are serial killers more likely to correct grammar, or does grammar correction lead to serial killings.
Food for thought.

 

[Paul B]

Most of us don't speak Latin and a large proportion of people don't even speak any specific language that is understandable. ROTFLMAO. :oops:

We barely have any recognizable language anymore. We now speak "cell phone" .

 

[drewzaun]

Be careful going down this rabbt hole, as statistically, those obsessed with correcting grammar and precision at all costs are slightly more likely to share personality traits with serial killers.

True, you can’t eat your cake and have it too.

But I’ve also been known slay a bowl of Cap’n Crunch or two