Subject: [Tweeters] Microtenes?
Date: Dec 23 17:58:19 2005
From: Hal Opperman - hal at catharus.net


Oxford English Dictionary has "microtine" as both noun and adjective.
Definition (n.): "A rodent of the subfamily Microtinae (family Muridae) of
rodents, which includes voles, lemmings, muskrats, and mole-voles." The
earliest use they cite is from 1895, and there are plenty of later ones.

This may be specialized technical vocabulary, Kelly, but it is not slang,
any more than "solenoid" or "metacarpal."

Hal Opperman
Medina, WA

On 12/23/05 5:25 PM, "Kelly Cassidy" <lostriver at completebbs.com> wrote:

>> Actually, I believe 'microtine' is an adjective, not a noun,
>> as Kelly infers.
>>
>> As in, "Microtine rodents make up a high percentage of the
>> marten's diet..."
>
> "Microtine" is not in my Webster's Unabridged. I think it's zoology slang.
> Can slang have a "correct" use? Ingles uses it both ways on page 271 of my
> version (copyright 1965) of Mammals of the Pacific States.
>
> Kelly Cassidy
>
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