4 ms·
Common names of animals often have common names of unrelated animals, (elephant beetle, dog fish, tiger shark... none of these are hybrids ;) ). Also I heard r
by LeonB 7y ago
Common names of animals often have common names of unrelated animals, (elephant beetle, dog fish, tiger shark... none of these are hybrids ;) ).
Also I heard recently that a fox is cat software running on dog hardware. Seems true.
- arethuza 7y agoThat explains our Burmese cats - dog software on cat hardware!
- paganel 7y agoAlso, in French bat is called "chauve-souris", which can literally be translated as "bald mouse".
- tomjakubowski 7y agoI think I have a new favorite false etymology, for "chauvinist".
- dredmorbius 7y agoThe actual etymology is pretty interesting: https://www.etymonline.com/word/chauvinism https://www.etymonline.com/word/chauvinism
- stochastic_monk 7y agoNot far from the German "fledermaus" ("flying mouse").
- daveslash 7y agoAnd in French, potato is "pomme de terre", which can literally be translated as "apples of earth" - or as I like to call them, "ground apples".