If I say I've got "fire and ice", that conjures a picture for many people. Canis familiaris is as good as it gets to describe "dog". From a binomial description, "greyhound" is meaningless, but it does describe a particular configuration that is helpful to someone trying to understand what kind of dog I'm talking about.
Bob, you're right - there is no "wrong" or "valid" common name. There is no accepted "breed standard" for any zoo. I can call it "ginger tea" and you call it "special blend" and we're both right. And wrong. Over time, though, the vernacular will conform. I think that the common names are useful.
Matt
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