Bertha's or Berthe's Coua ... (1 Viewer)

This is a thread/question that maybe belong in the Bird name Etymology sub-forum, but I choose to post it here, as it´s originating in the field of Bird Paleontology ...

Can anyone please explain why the sub-fossil species Coua berthae GOODMAN & RAVOAVY 1993 (here) is called Bertha's Coua in English (a k a Berthas koua, in Swedish) ... ?

The OD clearly says:

Named in honour of Madame Berthe Rakotosamimanana, Directeur du Laboratoire d’Anthropologie, and Professor, Service de Páleontologie, Université d’Antananarivo, who ...

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... commemorating the Madagascan environmentalist, zoologist, primatologist, anthropologist and palaeontologist Berthe Rakotosamimanana (1938–2005).

So; why Bertha? Why not "Berthe's Coua"?

Was she maybe called "Bertha" between (English-speaking) friends and colleagues?

Anyone know?

Björn

PS. And even if so, is a possible nickname appropriate, a good enough reason, the proper name to use (for us who never knew her)?

Calalp said:

Can anyone please explain why ...

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In all likelihood, because the English name was formed directly from the scientific name without checking the OD; and the Swedish name in turn was formed directly from the English name...?

(We've seen that before with "Johanna's" for Jeanne, if I remember correctly.)

(But as you usually note: don't hesitate to prove me wrong!)

I agree with Laurent.

Fred

But shouldn't the scientific name not be Coua bertheae?

Fred

Fred Ruhe said:

But shouldn't the scientific name not be Coua bertheae?

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31.1.1. A species-group name, if a noun in the genitive case formed from a personal name that is Latin, or from a modern personal name that is or has been latinized, is to be formed in accordance with the rules of Latin grammar.
[...]
31.1.2. A species-group name, if a noun in the genitive case (see Article 11.9.1.3) formed directly from a modern personal name, is to be formed by adding to the stem of that name -i if the personal name is that of a man, -orum if of men or of man (men) and woman (women) together, -ae if of a woman, and -arum if of women; the stem of such a name is determined by the action of the original author when forming the genitive.

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The name is of Germanic and relatively recent origin, hence I don't think there would be a real distinct Latin/Greek 'version' of it. (Nothing comparable to Johanna for Jeanne, thus.)

If you latinize Berthe into Bertha and take the genitive according to the rules of the Latin grammar, you produce berthae under 31.1.1.
If you treat Berthe as a Latin feminine name and take the genitive according to the rules of the Latin grammar, you produce (Greek variant of the first declension, applying to words originally ending in -η; not the most usual way to do, but nothing forbids it) berthae under 31.1.1.
If you choose Berth- as the stem of the modern name Berthe and add -ae, you produce berthae under 31.1.2.

You can, however, also choose to use the entirety of the modern name as stem, and add -ae which will produce bertheae under 31.1.2.

You can also in principle elicit to delete the h, resulting in bertae, either via a Latinization into Berta (31.1.1; -th- not really usual in Latin), or a deliberate choice of Bert- as the stem of Berthe (31.1.2). But, unless you make your intent explicit, this would be at the risk of having the name emended back to berthae by some enthusiastic reviser.

Do we have anyone, here on BirdForum, who actually knew her, who know what she was called (in everyday-life, among friends)?

Berthe's Mouse Lemur Microcebus berthae was also named after Berthe Rakotosamimanana so I suspect use of Bertha is simply an error.

Yes, Mike, that certain Lemur (and the OD of the Coua, of course) was one of the reasons why I started to wonder ...

More on the lady in question is to be read in, for example; her Obituaries* (here, pp.1 and 2 + note the portrait on the Cover) or here (in French).

Berthe Rakotosamimanana was born in Andasibe (ex-Perinet) 18 January 1838 ... (professions/occupations/"titles", as in Post #1) ... and she died 29 november 2005.

If nobody know of a good enough reason for, or the story behind, calling the sub-fossil bird "Bertha's Coua" ... maybe it´s time to alter, improve, correct the English name!?

Either way; it´s her all right!

Björn

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*Ralaiarison-Raharizelin, R. & Y. Rumpler. 2006. Professeur Berthe RAKOTOSAMIMANANA. Lemur News. The Newsletter of the Madagascar Section of the I.U.C.N./S.S.C. Primate Specialist Group, No. 11: 1-2.

Conclusion ...

Also note the Common English name "Madame Berthe's Coua", listed in The Birds of Africa: Volume VIII: The Malagasy Region: Madagascar (by Safford & Hawkins 2013), here.

Well, I think that´s all, it´s a wrap:

Berthe ... over and out!

Unfortunate that the original description did not name the species Coua rakotosamimananae, because then there would be no ambiguity.

Keith