Specie?

[Singalphile]

I hesitate to bring this up. If you've listened to a lot of Steve G., you know what I'm talking about. Online dictionaries do list "specie" as a non-standard singular form of "species", but all other sources that I've found say that "species" is the correct singular and plural form.

I have only ever heard Steve (or you, if you're reading this, Steve) use the word. Perhaps he likes being a little different in this regard. I have little idiosyncratic grammar rules that I prefer, too.

Any thoughts on that, anyone? Any animal scientists in the place? What do you think of "specie"? I find it a bit jarring.

[Paidion]

You're right about finding it in online dictionaries.

For example, you find it in the Merriam-Webster dictionary:

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/specie

"In specie" is defined as "in the same or like form or kind."

It is also stated that the word is the "back-formation from species."

However, you do find it in physical dictionaries also — both Websters and Collins English Dictionary. But it's defined there only as "coined money."

[Singalphile]

Well, Steve (or again, you, Steve, if reading) seems or seemed (I'm not up to 2012 in the radio show yet) to always use it in his show/lectures when talking about a single species or member of an animal species. That's that "back-formation from species" definition, which the online dicts say is non-standard, whatever that means.

I've never heard or read "specie" used that way anywhere else. It may not be wrong (although it kind of seems like it is), but it's at least unusual.

I was wondering what a paper dictionary would say. I don't have one.

[Singalphile]

steve posted on Nov 12, 2012:
"If it is not human, then perhaps someone can inform us what specie it is.... [emphasis added]"

There is it! I have half a mind to call the show about it... if it wasn't so trivial.

[steve]

I have a number of grammatical and pronunciation idiosyncrasies that people point out from time to time. I guess it comes from never having gone to school.

Actually, on the matter of specie versus species, I had looked that up as a young man, having heard people using both. What I thought I remembered was that species works for both singular and plural, but that specie was also used in the singular. Whenever I say "specie", I am aware that I could as correctly (maybe more correctly?) say species. However, it obviously sounds more natural to use the singular-sounding word when speaking in the singular. I always think that, if I were to use the plural-sounding word, I will have to explain to the audience that "species works for both singular and plural."

I guess audiences are not so ignorant as to need to be thus coddled, so I will start using species, without an explanation.

[Singalphile]

Ah. Clarity. That makes sense, I think. As a good teacher, you would be interested in that. Neat. Well, I don't know. Don't change on one person's account (unless you're the person). Thanks for the response (not to mention all your lectures and everything - great stuff)! At this point, it'll probably sound weird if you don't say "specie". Can't please everybody.