--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I need to be precise about a plant…" description: "\"When I need to be precise about a plant, I use its Latin name, even if my nongardening friends sometimes look at me a little funny for using big words ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/allen-lacy-22313_big-words_when-i-need-to-be-precise-about-a-plant_1326654.jpg" --- # When I need to be precise about a plant, I use its Latin… ![“When I need to be precise about a plant, I use its Latin name, even if my nongardening friends sometimes look at me a little funny for using big words in a dead language - or in the kind of horticultural Esperanto that botanical names make up.” quote by Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/allen-lacy-22313_big-words_when-i-need-to-be-precise-about-a-plant_1326654.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/allen-lacy-22313_big-words_when-i-need-to-be-precise-about-a-plant_1326654.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c92/allen-lacy-22313_big-words_when-i-need-to-be-precise-about-a-plant_1326654.jpg) > “When I need to be precise about a plant, I use its Latin name, even if my nongardening friends sometimes look at me a little funny for using big words in a dead language - or in the kind of horticultural Esperanto that botanical names make up.” [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Using Latin names ensures precise identification of plants, avoiding ambiguity that common names can cause. **In simple terms:** Latin names give exact plant identification. Key Takeaway Prefer scientific names for clarity. Themes precision botany communication Mood educational practical Type informative technical When to use this quote - gardening discussions - academic writing - plant labeling - education - online forums Key Concepts taxonomy linguistics standardization Questions to Reflect On - How does precise terminology benefit scientific work? - When might common names be preferable? A Different Perspective Scientific names can be intimidating to laypeople, limiting accessibility. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Esperanto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esperanto/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Latin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin/) [Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plant/) [Precise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precise/) ## Related quotes > [“60. 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Sometimes I remember some dreams in another language, but dreaming in languages no, but figures yes, my psychology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-d-say-i-dream-in-esperanto-sometimes-i-remember-some-dreams-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [If one takes pleasure in calling the gold standard a "barbarous relic," one cannot object to the application of the same term to every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-one-takes-pleasure-in-calling-the-gold-standard-a-barbarous-relic/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [I did a movie in Esperanto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/i-did-a-movie-in-esperanto/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [My advice to all who have the time or inclination to concern themselves with the international language movement would be: 'Back Esperanto loyally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-r-tolkien-2/my-advice-to-all-who-have-the-time-or-inclination-to-concern/) [J. R. R. Tolkien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-r-tolkien-2/) > [“What kind of a world do we live in that has room for dog yoga but not for Esperanto?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arika-okrent/what-kind-of-a-world-do-we-live-in-that-has-room-for-dog-yoga-but-not/) [Arika Okrent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arika-okrent/) > [I can speak Esperanto like a native.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/i-can-speak-esperanto-like-a-native/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [“He had been very keen on Esperanto, which had seemed an absurd eccentricity at the time but now Ursula thought it might be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/he-had-been-very-keen-on-esperanto-which-had-seemed-an-absurd/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [The new sound-sphere is global. It ripples at great speed across languages, ideologies, frontiers and races. The economics of this musical Esperanto is staggering.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-steiner/the-new-sound-sphere-is-global-it-ripples-at-great-speed-across/) [George Steiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-steiner/) > [In an ideal world, one populated by vegetarians and Esperanto speakers, derivatives would be used for one thing only: reducing levels of risk. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/in-an-ideal-world-one-populated-by-vegetarians-and-esperanto-speakers/) [John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/) > [The language of sin was universal, the original Esperanto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-hill/the-language-of-sin-was-universal-the-original-esperanto/) [Joe Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-hill/) > [Anything we need to know, we can learn it from a book. Reading, careful study, a little practice, and we’re throwing knives expertly, overhauling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/anything-we-need-to-know-we-can-learn-it-from-a-book-reading-careful/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [Esperanto was a very useful language, because wherever you went, you found someone to speak with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/esperanto-was-a-very-useful-language-because-wherever-you-went-you/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Cynicism is our shared common language, the Esperanto that actually caught on, and though I'm not fluent in it - I like too many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hornby/cynicism-is-our-shared-common-language-the-esperanto-that-actually/) [Nick Hornby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hornby/) ## More by Allen Lacy > [Show me a person without prejudice of any kind on any subject and I'll show you someone who may be admirably virtuous but is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/show-me-a-person-without-prejudice-of-any-kind-on-any-subject-and-i/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [Am I accurately reporting what I see in such a blossom? The answer is no ... and yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/am-i-accurately-reporting-what-i-see-in-such-a-blossom-the-answer-is/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [Crabgrass is aptly descriptive of this hated weed, for it does scuttle quickly through a lawn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/crabgrass-is-aptly-descriptive-of-this-hated-weed-for-it-does-scuttle/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [Of course, the character of my garden is also determined by things beyond any human decision, mine or anyone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/of-course-the-character-of-my-garden-is-also-determined-by-things/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [I suppose that for most people one of the darker joys of gardening is that once you've got started it's not at all hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/i-suppose-that-for-most-people-one-of-the-darker-joys-of-gardening-is/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [An angel, legend has it, took pity on a little shepherd girl who had nothing to give to the Infant Jesus in his manger.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/an-angel-legend-has-it-took-pity-on-a-little-shepherd-girl-who-had/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [Whether the are splashed with gold or white, striped with chartreuse or cream, or margined in light tones, they are nature's weaklings, and nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/whether-the-are-splashed-with-gold-or-white-striped-with-chartreuse/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [Gardening is in large measure a phenomenon of attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/gardening-is-in-large-measure-a-phenomenon-of-attention/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [Insects leave (Madagascar periwinkle) Catharanthus roseus out of their diets. So, for that matter, do deer. The reason is that the plants are loaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/insects-leave-madagascar-periwinkle-catharanthus-roseus-out-of-their/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [The gardens I love best are those that are still affectionately tended by the people who own them and who made them - who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/the-gardens-i-love-best-are-those-that-are-still-affectionately/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [Anne of Austria, wife of Louis XIII of France, had such an aversion to roses that she could not stand seeing one even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/anne-of-austria-wife-of-louis-xiii-of-france-had-such-an-aversion-to/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [All gardeners need to know when to accept something wonderful and unexpected, taking no credit except for letting it be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/all-gardeners-need-to-know-when-to-accept-something-wonderful-and/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [One becomes a gardener by becoming a gardener.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/one-becomes-a-gardener-by-becoming-a-gardener/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [I know of no common interest that exceeds gardening as a source of lifelong friendships, nor as a means of making new friends almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/i-know-of-no-common-interest-that-exceeds-gardening-as-a-source-of/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) > [Gardener's , like everyone else, live second by second and minute by minute. What we see at one particular moment is then and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-lacy/gardener-s-like-everyone-else-live-second-by-second-and-minute-by/) [Allen Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) [Explore all 27 Allen Lacy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-lacy/) ## More Big words quotes > [I'm not the guy who will sit in a room with somebody who's using a bunch of big words and just act like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-wahlberg/i-m-not-the-guy-who-will-sit-in-a-room-with-somebody-who-s-using-a/) [Mark Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-wahlberg/) > [Well, 'aight, check this out, dawg. First of all, you throwin' too many big words at me, and because I don't understand them, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/well-aight-check-this-out-dawg-first-of-all-you-throwin-too-many-big/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [He read a lot. He used a lot of big words. I think maybe part of what got him into trouble was that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/he-read-a-lot-he-used-a-lot-of-big-words-i-think-maybe-part-of-what/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [People laugh at me because I use big words. But if you have big ideas, you have to use big words to express them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-laugh-at-me-because-i-use-big-words-but-if-you-have-big-ideas/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Small fruit is better than big words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/small-fruit-is-better-than-big-words/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...because if there was one thing he didn't like it was big words, they just lied and covered things up, those big words, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-fosse/because-if-there-was-one-thing-he-didn-t-like-it-was-big-words-they/) Jon Fosse > [“It must be lovely to be grown up, Marilla, when just being treated as if you were is so nice...Well, anyway, when I grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/it-must-be-lovely-to-be-grown-up-marilla-when-just-being-treated-as/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [There is a note that comes into the human voice by which you may know real weariness. It comes when one has been trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwood-anderson/there-is-a-note-that-comes-into-the-human-voice-by-which-you-may-know/) [Sherwood Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwood-anderson/) > [“Big words from a guy who's trussed up like a turkey. What are you going to do, wobble over here like an upside- down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-ee/big-words-from-a-guy-who-s-trussed-up-like-a-turkey-what-are-you/) [Susan Ee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-ee/) > [Infinitesimal braggadocio I'm but since you most likely don't understand me with using big words I use small words to say I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mrawesome/infinitesimal-braggadocio-i-m-but-since-you-most-likely-don-t/) MrAwesome > [“I don't use big words to show off because it's ostentatious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-roff/i-don-t-use-big-words-to-show-off-because-it-s-ostentatious/) [Don Roff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-roff/) > [“I'm working class. But it's the working class that keeps the world running, and it's the working class that gets exploited. What the hell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-m-working-class-but-it-s-the-working-class-that-keeps-the-world/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [“But if you have big ideas you have to use big words to express them, haven't you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/but-if-you-have-big-ideas-you-have-to-use-big-words-to-express-them/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [I hate anything that occupies more space than it is worth... 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