Reputed to be a distortion of mot-hen (moat hen, basically) - completely accurate.hi Guys
I make that 18 species so far
#19 Moorhen. Should be Waterhen - not a moorland bird
cheers alan
Yes, there are reasons for common names, which with a bit of exploring, can turn out completely appropriate.Reputed to be a distortion of mot-hen (moat hen, basically) - completely accurate.
Turtle Dove - onomatopoeic - tur-tur - completely accurate.
Stygian is a synonym for dark or blackish, as is the owl - completely accurate.
This thread says more about modern education than bird names.
Bohemian for Waxwing is a scandal however. Fortunately, as for Robin and Blackbird, a prefix is unnecessary.
John
Reputed to be a distortion of mot-hen (moat hen, basically) - completely accurate.
Turtle Dove - onomatopoeic - tur-tur - completely accurate.
Stygian is a synonym for dark or blackish, as is the owl - completely accurate.
This thread says more about modern education than bird names.
Bohemian for Waxwing is a scandal however. Fortunately, as for Robin and Blackbird, a prefix is unnecessary.
John
They have different names. Waxwing, Cedar Waxwing, Japanese Waxwing. You may wish to discuss which is the least accurate, but they are all different names. English usage for what foreigners are pleased to misname European Robin is Robin. You will not find any other name in English poetry, literature or across a robin-stroker's breakfast table.* It's a Robin. Every other copy/imitation/analogue/subsequent discovery requires a qualifier.How is a prefix unnecessary? There are multiple species of Waxwings, Robins and Blackbirds around the world. Some of them can even plausibly occur in the UK as vagrants, you need to have different names for them.
They have different names. Waxwing, Cedar Waxwing, Japanese Waxwing. You may wish to discuss which is the least accurate, but they are all different names. English usage for what foreigners are pleased to misname European Robin is Robin. You will not find any other name in English poetry, literature or across a robin-stroker's breakfast table. It's a Robin. Every other copy/imitation/analogue/subsequent discovery requires a qualifier.
John
Hi johnThis thread says more about modern education than bird names.
I'm not sabotaging it and it's not "an approach to language" - it is language. That's normal English usage. Everywhere in Britain a Robin is a Robin and is totally understood (because Joe Public doesn't know about Black Bush-robin, Rufous-tailed Robin, American Robin or any other bird with a qualifier and wouldn't care if they did).That's a terrible approach to language and would make it completely unnecessarily complicated. If you call the bird in question "Bohemian Waxwing", then you can use "a waxwing" in the sense of "any of the waxwings" and so on for the others. I am aware that the English nomenclature does not actively follow the systematic genus-species system, but when it does to at least some extent, why actively sabotage it?
This is only me having my bit of fun, don't spoil it.Hi john
its only a bit of fun - don't take it too seriously
cheers alan
Wouldn't dream of spoiling your funThis is only me having my bit of fun, don't spoil it.
Ditto!Wouldn't dream of spoiling your fun
have a nice day
alan
Bald Eagle... Has anybody ever seriously seen a "bald" one?
I'd probably call that wet woodland as marshes tend to be more open, but over here they are more birds of drier deciduous woods- though there may be some wet patches. Always associate Willow Tits more with the type of habitat you describe, though they've long gone from my corner (south-east) of England.Is a wetland in a forest still "marsh" in English or not? Here in Poland we have a lot this kind of habitat where you have deep mud, peat and small water bodies in a forest and Marsh tits love that.
Is a wetland in a forest still "marsh" in English or not? Here in Poland we have a lot this kind of habitat where you have deep mud, peat and small water bodies in a forest and Marsh tits love that.
I'd probably call that wet woodland as marshes tend to be more open, but over here they are more birds of drier deciduous woods- though there may be some wet patches. Always associate Willow Tits more with the type of habitat you describe, though they've long gone from my corner (south-east) of England.