The concept of gender is difficult to us anglophones but second nature to
most non-anglophone Europeans. You're right that invariable endings would
make electronic searches easier, but the rule-revisers are still working with
card catalogues. Maybe someday we'll get all this sorted out. I just wonder
which end of "a foolish consistency" taxonomic nomenclature will become.
In a message dated 2/2/03 1:02:38 PM Pacific Standard Time,
g.read at niwa.co.nz
writes:
<< Why is the code still binding us to observe minor nuances of Latin
grammar such as above when stability of names is so crucial? The new
2000 code preamble states the advantage of treating original spellings as
invariable (seriously considered at the draft stage) would have been that
electronic searching was facilitated. That the editorial committee did not also
have in mind the elimination of the time-wasting confusions and uncertainties
such as illustrated by this thread is rather surprising. >>
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