[tcs-lc] TCS/LC Name Domain

[Richard Pyle]

Greetings,

I've been thinking a lot about how to represent vernacular and
semi-scientific names in TCS/LC.

TCS currently accomodates two "types" of Names: "scientific" and
"non-scientific".  Presumably, LC is intended to represent the "scientific"
(code-governed) names.

But there are name representations that are not vernacular, and are not
strictly scientific.

For example, I often encounter in scientific literature examples such as the
following:

- Aus bus Smith
- Aus cf. bus Smith

So, within one publication (say, "Jones"), we have two different concepts.
One is straighforward:

Aus bus Smith SEC. Jones

There is a concept circumscription, and the elements of the name are easily
handled by LC.

But how would TCS/LC deal with the other concept:

Aus cf. bus Smith SEC. Jones

The "cf." implies that it's like Aus bus Smith, and the fact that it is
listed spearately from "true" Aus bus implies that it is *not* Aus bus.

The "cf." designation is only one of many -- so I'm not just talking about
"cf." -- I'm talking about any case where a concept that lacks a formal
scientific name is referenced by a modified/embellished/qualified version of
a formal scientific name.  There are clearly two different concepts, which
may have any of the various includes/congruent/etc. relationships with other
concepts, but the *name* part is a mixture of scientific elements and
non-scientific (non-Code-governed) elements.

My question is:  Should LC accomodate these various "qualified scientific
names" and treat them as separate name objects? Or, is this something that
should be dealt with just like any non-scientific (vernacular) name?
Or...????

There is also a whole world of "unnamed" scientific names (e.g., "Aus
n.sp.#8"), which are applied to concepts in exactly the same way that
scientific names are applied to concepts (but outside the Code rules), which
fall into a similar category as the "qualified" scientific names.

Ideas?

Aloha,
Rich

Richard L. Pyle, PhD
Database Coordinator for Natural Sciences
Department of Natural Sciences, Bishop Museum
1525 Bernice St., Honolulu, HI 96817
Ph: (808)848-4115, Fax: (808)847-8252
email: deepreef at bishopmuseum.org
http://hbs.bishopmuseum.org/pylerichard.html