French Terminology of Speleological Forms

Abstract

The aim of terminology of speleological forms is to describe these forms, and a cave is an assembly of forms. In France, terms of common language were first used, such as entree (« entrance »), draperie (« drapery », « curtain »), etc. and a few terms of scientific origin such as stalagmite. Then speleologists realized that it was possible to describe forms by their geometry. Thus such terms as cone d’eboulis (« talus cone ») or « tube » were used. When the geometry is detailed, the description is more precise: the information is better when we know that there is a « ceiling channel » above the tube or that a stalagmite is presented as a « hollow stalagmite ». Often a « group » of identical forms can be identified in a limited zone, whereas there are no such forms in other parts of the cave. This is often the case with potholes or soda straws for instance. This type of observation improves the quality of description. There is also what can be presented as « associated forms »: Certain speleological forms are associated with one another: a sinkhole corresponds to a resurgence; a stalactite corresponds to a stalagmite. A group and the zone of the cave where it can be observed are also associated forms. Other speleological forms are associated with a geological form: a contact sinkhole between two rocks of different solubility, dip tube, stalactites aligned along a crack. Other forms are associated with a geographical form: a flowing cave opening at the level of a surface stream, deposit of rounded pebbles in a surface stream sinkhole. There are also genetic terms; the most used being « phreatic » and « vadose ». These terms are useful for the interpretation of forms, but they are quite dangerous for the description of forms: if a passage is presented as «vadose », one does not know what are the forms justifying the word for the author. And if a tube is almost always presented as «phreatic », most of them have never been permanently filled with water, and some of them have never been filled with water. Genetic terms are deceptive. They must be avoided when forms are described.