Alaudala
a-LAWD-a-la
Genus
A small lark; a diminutive of the lark genus Alauda
Literally: Little lark
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaud- | a lark | Latin (alaud, =a) | stem of Alauda, the classical Latin word for lark; also the name of the closely related genus Alauda |
| -ula | little; diminutive suffix | Latin (-ul, =a, =e, =um, =us) | feminine diminutive suffix agreeing with alauda (fem.); the -a- of alauda is absorbed before -ula, yielding Alaud-ula > Alaudala |
Alaudala is a single-word genus name formed by appending the Latin feminine diminutive suffix -ula directly to the stem alaud- of the classical noun alauda (a lark). The result is a standalone feminine noun in the nominative singular meaning 'little lark.' There is no separate specific epithet here; Alaudala is a genus-level name only. It was established to accommodate several small larks formerly placed in Alauda or Calandrella, reflecting their smaller size relative to the typical larks of the genus Alauda.
Pronunciation
- a-LAWD-a-la Four syllables: a | laud | a | la. The penult ('a', syllable 3) has a short vowel followed by only one consonant, so it does NOT attract stress. Stress therefore falls on the antepenult ('laud', syllable 2), whose vowel is the diphthong au (= 'aw'), confirming it is long.
Commonly: In ornithological usage the penult is sometimes stressed: a-law-DAH-la; this is non-classical but widespread.
Other readings
One might also read the final -a-la as two separate elements (ala, 'wing' + la), but this is clearly secondary; the dominant and intended reading is alaud- + diminutive -ula, mirroring the relationship between e.g. ursa/ursula or forma/formula.
Alaudala was erected by Horsfield & Moore (1856–1858) as a subgenus and later elevated to genus rank for a group of small, short-billed larks of Africa and Asia (e.g. Alaudala rufescens, the lesser short-toed lark). The classical Latin word alauda itself may be of Gaulish origin (used by Caesar for a lark, and also the name of a Roman legion); it is treated in the dictionary simply as Latin meaning 'a lark.' The diminutive suffix -ula reduces the final -a of alauda, producing alaud-ula, written Alaudala.