Stratinomy vs. stratonomy "Stratinomy" is the more commonly used form and is in its word-creation analogous with stratigraphy, but "stratonomy" is said to be technically and grammatically more correct. The latter being analogous with astronomy, synonymy, taxonomy, etc. An added complication is the fact that "stratonomy" is also used in business. Both terms are bastard compounds of Latin strat- and Greek -nomy, and in my opinion stratinomy is the more correct form because the Latin strat- (= "covering"), takes an -i- as bridge (as in "stratigraphy"). There is a Greek stem strat- but it means "army" (as in strategy, stratography, the latter referring to the way armies are managed). Connecting vowels are treated in ICZN (3rd edition, 1985, appendix D.VII - I don't have the 4th edition at hand). Latin compounds take an -i-, Greek compounds an -o-. What is "stratinomy"? Well, in the words used above, taxonomy, astronomy, synonymy are all Greek. Stratigraphy is a bastard but it is put together the way that a Roman would have done. So it is correct enough, and so is stratonomy.
[Andrew K. Rindsberg, written communication, August 2013]
Bring me back to the text above!
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