Summary of responses attached. Thanks one and all.
Many thanks to everyone who responded to my request for a definition of the
term "dasonomia." Here is a summary of the answers which I received:
"Dasonomia is a spanish word which means Forestry (the science of growing and
caring for forests)."
"In Spanish it simply means the science of forestry as defined by the
Spanish-English horticultural dictionary published by CAB International,
Wallingford, Oxon, UK. I presume the Portuguese is the same."
The term was not found in Portuguese in the teminological databank of the
European Communities, EURODICAUTOM. The term was found in Spanish, equivalent
to 'forestry.'
"Dasonomia, in practice, is simply another word for forestry. Dasonomos are
technically trained foresters (3 year programs) and you can become a dasonomo
by attending the forestry school in Honduras (for example)."
"A Brazilian student here tells me Dasonomia is the Spanish word for forestry
sciences, and is also the old Portuguese word for the same thing."
"In Spanish DASONOMIA means, in a free translation from my 'Diccionario de la
Lengua Espa~nola', the science that deals with the growht, conservation,
cultivation and use of woodlands. At the university of Buenos Aires, where I
studied, the course called 'dasonomia' is roughly equivalent to forestry
courses in English speaking countries."
"DASONOMIA is a Greek word from DASOS=forest and NOMOS=law. Therefore,
'dasonomia' means Forest Law."
"Dasonomia is a Greek term meaning Laws applicable to forests and forestry."
"I looked up the Aurelio dictionary and it says (translated): 'Discipline that
deals with forests, its composition, structure, productivity, conservation,
etc.' If I recall well in college we used to use it more pertaining to the
measurement of forests. Whereas I am in agreement with the Greek origins
presented by Stavros I believe that NOM(O) has more than the strict
interpretation of 'law.' It can also be interpreted as that which regulates.
In that light the word DASONOMIA becomes: 'that which regulates the forest'
and this should be seen from the biological, silvicultural, conservation point
of view. Forest Law in Portuguese is referred to as 'Legislac,a~o Florestal'."
"In Spanish, the word means 'mensuration or forest measurements'."
"I am Portuguese (and forester) but I can't see any meaning for dasotomia
{sic}. I would think it is a misspelling. However, Brazilians tend to import
technical terms to Portuguese, rather than using some Portuguese equivalent."
ONCE AGAIN, A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE!!
Doug Stokke, USDA Forest Service, North Central Forest Experiment Station
Forestry Sciences Lab, SIU-C, Carbondale, IL USA 62901-4630
Ph#618-453-2920, Fax 618-453-2911, internet
fswa/s=d.stokke/ou=s23l01a@mhs.attmail.com
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