[Dragaera] Boing!

[Davdi Silverrock]

On 9/7/06, Jon_Lincicum wrote:
> "Davdi Silverrock" wrote:
>
> >Dragaerans are transgenic organisms, and the House of the Dragon is no
> >more descended from dragons than a genetically modified rabbit that
> >glows in the dark is descended from fluorescent jellyfish.
>
> Ah, but that rabbit is "genetically descended" from that Jellyfish.
>

Unless you have an example of such usage from a geneticist, I still
argue that that's not the best term.

The rabbit has a gene that was originally found in jellyfish.  It
might be said to be slightly related to the jellyfish; to be partially
derived from the jellyfish.

But I think that "descent" (even with the "genetically" modifier)
ought to be reserved for the use of referring to those ancestral
organisms that provided the vast majority of an organisms's genes.  If
an organism is a true hybrid or chimera, then "descent" might be
appropriate.

Dragaerans are *descended* from humans.  Dragaerans were genetically
modifed in various ways, including some genes *partially derived* from
their respective House animals (except Jhereg).

That seems like more correct wording to me, anyway.