Homo Stabrinidae

[Keklas Rekobah]

The etymology is from the Greek word 'diaspeirein' -- 'to scatter' -- as one did when sowing seeds. One of the definitions is "the movement, migration, or scattering of a people away from an established or ancestral homeland" so it fits.

'Homo Diasporae' is a Latin-Greek bastardization.

'Homo Sparsum' is fully Latin, and transliterates to 'Man Spread.'

'Homo Sparsiens' more closely approximates 'Scattering Man' in Latin ('Homo Sapiens' is 'Thinking Man').

'Homo Diasporae' sounds better, though.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

And received. Haven't felt to optimum the past few days, but will look at it as soon as I reasonably can - most likely, if it doesn't appear in January - and I will be planning on January for it - it WILL appear in February.

Thank you! Please credit the article to the name listed in under the submitted title. I hope you feel better soon.

-KR-

(PS: Please let me know what specific topic you need to fill ... I enjoy a good literary challenge!)

 

[FreeTrav]

No, I think 'Homo' should be reserved specifically for humans, i.e., those sophonts derived from and fertile with Homo Sapiens Sapiens Terra. For those sophonts derived from H. Sap. Sap. Terra but no longer fertile with them, I might be inclined to use Anthro: if the Geonee aren't fertile with H. Sap. Sap. Terra, they might then be classed as Anthro Sapiens Sapiens Shiwonee, although they're ultimately still sphere Terra. But the Vilani are still clearly Homo, so Homo Sapiens Sapiens Vland.

The problem comes with the non-H.-S.-S.-derived sophonts - clearly, Vargr, although sphere Terra, aren't Homo, and aren't really Anthro, either. Canis or Lupus is inappropriate, for the same reason that humans aren't Australopithecus or Gorilla. Aslan, Droyne, K'kree, and Hiver don't even share Sphere. I suppose as a last resort, you could use the Piper solution - make something up: until they were realized to be sapient, Fuzzies were arbitrarily family Fuzzy, genus Fuzzy, species Holloway's Fuzzy (Fuzzy Fuzzy Holloway); after they were recognized sapient, they became Fuzzy Sapiens Zarathustra. So maybe something like Fteirle Sapiens Kusyu for the Aslan?

 

[rancke]

No, I think 'Homo' should be reserved specifically for humans, i.e., those sophonts derived from and fertile with Homo Sapiens Sapiens Terra. For those sophonts derived from H. Sap. Sap. Terra but no longer fertile with them, I might be inclined to use Anthro: if the Geonee aren't fertile with H. Sap. Sap. Terra, they might then be classed as Anthro Sapiens Sapiens Shiwonee, although they're ultimately still sphere Terra. But the Vilani are still clearly Homo, so Homo Sapiens Sapiens Vland.

No, 'Genus Homo' encompasses a specific group of species native to Sphere Terra which include both Homo sapiens sapiens and its brothers, Homo sapiens <something else>, and cousins Homo <something else>. That's specifically spelled out in GT:Humaniti (With the little wrinkle that the term 'Hominid', which technically includes all subspecies of Homo sapiens usually are only used to distinguish those species of Humaniti who are hominids but not humans).

What I was suggesting was that while its reasonable to suppose that science would 'reuse' some taxonomic terms (such as 'Animalia' and 'Chordata' and maybe even 'Mammalia') for species belonging to entirely different spheres, the term 'Homo' might deliberately NOT be reused, but reserved exclusively for describing Humaniti. Instead, an anthropoid species might be called 'Anthro' or 'Anthropoidae'.

The problem comes with the non-H.-S.-S.-derived sophonts - clearly, Vargr, although sphere Terra, aren't Homo, and aren't really Anthro, either. Canis or Lupus is inappropriate, for the same reason that humans aren't Australopithecus or Gorilla.

Genetically engineered species will probably always be a pproblem. Vargr would belong to the Family Canidae but to a different genus, of which it would be the only species. Vargr sapiens perhaps?

Aslan, Droyne, K'kree, and Hiver don't even share Sphere. I suppose as a last resort, you could use the Piper solution - make something up: until they were realized to be sapient, Fuzzies were arbitrarily family Fuzzy, genus Fuzzy, species Holloway's Fuzzy (Fuzzy Fuzzy Holloway); after they were recognized sapient, they became Fuzzy Sapiens Zarathustra. So maybe something like Fteirle Sapiens Kusyu for the Aslan?

Or just Fteirle sapiens if there are no subspecies (which, with only a couple of thousand years for speciation is rather likely). (The 'zarathustra' (which would not be capitalized) is actually superfluous).


Hans

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

I love it when a thread goes all sciencey ... keep it up!

 

[aramis]

There are a few cases where a genus name is reused in different orders. 3 or 4... I suspect that when we start adding spheres we'll get many more.

Homo will probably apply to any sentient bilaterally symmetrical upright mamalian biped with 5 digits per limb, and 4 limbs.

The way it's used for the Stabrinidae seems reasonable, tho I do thing it should be hyphenated with the system, eg Brin-Homo Sapiens when not listing full taxonomy and sphere is not obvious.

Otherwise, every world gets unique phyla on down...

 

[rancke]

There are a few cases where a genus name is reused in different orders. 3 or 4... I suspect that when we start adding spheres we'll get many more.

Agreed.

Homo will probably apply to any sentient bilaterally symmetrical upright mamalian biped with 5 digits per limb, and 4 limbs.

I disagree. Sure, Homo could reasonably be applied to any sentient bilaterally symmetrical upright mamalian biped. But human nature being what it is, I submit that it's more than likely that human scientists will want to differentiate themselves from any other sentient bilaterally symmetrical upright mamalian bipeds around. They are men, others are merely manlike.

Otherwise, every world gets unique phyla on down...

Maybe so, but to humans, humans are unique.


Hans