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It is a naming confusion (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk#Naming_and_etymology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk#Naming_and_etymology). Russian word "лось"
by mynegation 12y ago
It is a naming confusion (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk#Naming_and_etymology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elk#Naming_and_etymology). Russian word "лось" refers to what North Americans call "moose" and in British call "elk" (Alces alces species). The animals of species "Cervus Canadensis", which in North America is called "elk" is called "Вапити" in Russian (i.e. "wapiti"). Russians never use "Американский лось" to name an animal, because it is the same species in North America and Eurasia.
- huhtenberg 12y ago> called "Вапити" in Russian I'm a native speaker and I've never even heard this word before. I'd use "олень", but I'm no biologist. They all are either олень or лось to me :)
- mynegation 12y agoWell, wapiti _is_ a species of deer, but it is called that to distinguish it from European species of red deer (Cervus Elaphus - благородный олень) which is what Russians usually mean by "deer".