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Within-species similarities or among-species similarities?

Hi,

Sorry for asking this question again, I need to make sure that I asked it correctly.
Let's imagine there are some characteristics which can be found, for example, in birds, monkeys, and humans.
Is it possible to use the term "within-species similarities" for them? Or "among-species similarities" is currect?
Does not "within-species similarities" mean that there are some features that can be found in members of only one species?

Thanks

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exRanger profile picture exRangerSeptember 2019
One more thing to remember:

"Cross-species", in Brit & American & Aussie English, also means "within-species cross breeding", i.e., deliberate mixing of two or more distinct species -- e.g., horse and donkey -- to form a "new" species, in this instance The Mule. DO NOT confuse "Across-Species" and "Cross-Species" or you will never properly distinguish these the exact, correct meanings of these terms. And one more piece ofsadvice: DO NOt ACCEPT as "hoyle" (means "definitively accurate") definitions/interpretations of English from persons who are not only native English speakers, but HIGH-LEVEL native English speakers. Many (many) Americans (and Brits & Aussies, etc.), while they might be "native" speakers, have an abysmal grasp/command of their native language -- its grammar, spelling rules, usage rules in general. We have an old saying:

Q: How can you tell if someone is an American?
A: They can speak two languages: English and bad English.

Get the point?

-exRanger
  • mmajid profile picture mmajidOctober 2019
    Hi HyaSky, it’s so nice to have a native speaker who is a biologist, here. I am an evolutionary psychologist.

    I just searched in Google scholar’s articles and found out that both of them (i.e., cross and across) have been used frequently. But “cross-species” seems to be used much more frequently.

    I found these examples (both these works are very reliable):
    “Morton [1977] conducted a survey of the literature on the vocalizations of 28 avian and 28
    mammalian species and discovered remarkable cross-species similarities in the acoustic
    form of those sounds used in face-to-face competitive encounters …” (Ohala, J. J. (1983). Cross-language use of pitch: an ethological view. Phonetica, 40(1), 1-18.)

    “Given these across- species similarities in neurobehavioral features of adolescence,
    the question arises whether nonhuman animals undergoing this developmental
    transi- tion can be used as models of human adolescence …” (Spear, L. (2000). Modeling adolescent development and alcohol. Alcohol Research & Health, 24, 115-123.)

    Once again, thank you both for your help and the great discussion,
  • HyaSky profile picture HyaSkyOctober 2019
    That's nice. As someone who was educated in Biology and Horticulture in US academic institutions, I will say that on a university level, "cross-species" appears throughout textbooks, while "across-species" never does. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with "across-species." Since it seems like we're the only two native English speakers who regularly use this site right now, it's good that you can give a British perspective, and I can give an American one. That lets people have a more worldly grasp.

    Anyway, I think from now on I'll just use "interspecies/intraspecies". That way, we can avoid ambiguity.
  • HyaSky profile picture HyaSkySeptember 2019
    Could someone please ring Mrs. Bouquet on her pearl white slim-line telephone with last number redial? We need an expert opinion from a woman from the West Midlands of superior social standing.
  • HyaSky profile picture HyaSkySeptember 2019
    In that case, why not just use "intraspecies" and "interspecies"? It is not common, but it removes the ambiguity about whether it's "within" or "across".

    I think we have perfectly lovely English in the United States, although learning British English on top of American English is helpful as well. I can almost guarantee that one will never see "across-species" in the United States.
exRanger profile picture exRangerSeptember 2019
1. "Does not "within-species similarities" mean that there are some features that can be found in members of only one species?" -- YES, and thus is not applicable nor is it correct in representing the meaning you are trying to convey.

2. "Among-species" is nearly a meaningless phrase in English, but were it to be validated, it, too, is more in the vein of "Within-species" concept than what you are trying to achieve, which is a phrase / term that defines similarities in different species. To represent this concept you need...

3. "Across-species" (or, also correct, "Cross-species"): this/these are the phrases that convey, accurately, the concept you seek to communicate, @ least according to your question (as worded) above. - exRanger