Formation of Vernacular Names for Weeds and Plant Naming Programmes for the Re-creation of Children's Culture

Abstract

  The formation of vernacular names was studied for the weed species of genus Rorippa, Cruciferae. The linguistic mode and meaning were compared among scientific, English, and Japanese standard and vernacular names. The scientific, English, and Japanese standard names were derived mainly from morphological and ecological traits and place-names, while the vernacular names were uniquely formed by local farmers. The result obtained for that study provided crucial insight for the plant naming programme discussed in this paper.
  The plant naming programme was designed and applied twice to the activities of Dokodemo Museum Eco-Project and Nukui Agriculture School for Boys and Girls in 2004. These activities required them to name a plant on their own after observing them and their habitats in the fields. The names given by the participants had the structure of {adjective word + root + supplementary word} or consisted of unique words without any root. The root was mostly a word indicating a plant habit or organs such as herbs, flowers, seeds, leaves and so on. The adjective word often showed morphological, ecological, and sensuous traits or their composition. The supplementary word was rarely used when the participants hesitated to name a plant. At the same time, they drew sketches of plants and searched for further information in illustrated plant dictionaries. After checking, the Japanese standard and scientific names and reading comments, it is possible that they might have understood that their names for plants were fair and sensible.
  First, children form vernacular names, then learn Japanese standard names and finally learn scientific names. This is a suitable way to learn about plants. This plant naming programmes may be effective in re-creating of children's culture which is have almost lost at the present time.