In one of the major Swedish newspaper I recently read a letter to the editor.
Where a person (f/m? you guess) called for a revision of common bird names (in this case swedish). The argumentation was that common names was badly systemised and based on irrational assumptions about the bird, based on looks, superstition etc
One example brought up was the Pied Oystercatcher. Swedish name in a straight translation is Coastal Magpie which the author thought was inacceptable, being misleading since its a wader and not a magpie. In english i guess you could argue if it really catches any oysters or should it be named by major food preference (Bivalve Molluscs Catcher? )
Anyhow my spontaneous thought was how dreadfully boring if everything was perfectly systemized. There is a latin name and a taxonomy. Let the common names be irrational, folkloristic and by all means even romantic
Throwing out the bone..........
Where a person (f/m? you guess) called for a revision of common bird names (in this case swedish). The argumentation was that common names was badly systemised and based on irrational assumptions about the bird, based on looks, superstition etc
One example brought up was the Pied Oystercatcher. Swedish name in a straight translation is Coastal Magpie which the author thought was inacceptable, being misleading since its a wader and not a magpie. In english i guess you could argue if it really catches any oysters or should it be named by major food preference (Bivalve Molluscs Catcher? )
Anyhow my spontaneous thought was how dreadfully boring if everything was perfectly systemized. There is a latin name and a taxonomy. Let the common names be irrational, folkloristic and by all means even romantic
Throwing out the bone..........