galago
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The English word 'buzzard' is an interesting word. In England, 'buzzard' (and 'vulture') refer to different birds than in the Americas. American buzzards/vultures are a group found only in the New World. If only there was a uniquely American way of referring to this uniquely American bird...
Jeramy Neugin @LostCityMagic
Your Cherokee words for today.
The top word is English followed by how it is written in the Cherokee language followed by how it is spelled in English then how to pronounce it phonetically.
The earth was once completely flat, soft and wet when it was made. The animals were anxious to come down and
03:00 AM - Feb 17, 2024
04:04 PM - Feb 18, 2024
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galago
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In response to galago.
In England 'buzzard' refers to birds in the genus Buteo. 'Hawk' refers to things like goshawks and sparrowhawks, genus Accipiter and relatives. Old World vultures don't make it up into England except as rare migrants, but get that name. (Vultures are either in subfamily Gypaetinae or Aegypiinae).
04:07 PM - Feb 18, 2024
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galago
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English colonists in America tended to settle on familiar English words for both familiar and unfamiliar animals. 'Hawk' grew to refer to both Buteo buzzards and Accipiter hawks. Sometimes the same species is found in both countries but called buzzard in one and hawk in the other (eg. Buteo lagopus)
In response to galago.
04:18 PM - Feb 18, 2024
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galago
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In response to galago.
The uniquely American carrion birds were often called 'buzzard', and animal most English were familiar with, or 'vulture,' an animal few would have known because it was neither. Eventually experts settled on 'New World vulture' while lots of regular folks stuck with 'buzzard.'
04:22 PM - Feb 18, 2024
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galago
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In response to galago.
But turkey vultures, black vultures, and condors are neither 'buzzard' nor really 'vulture'. They are something uniquely American. If only there was a uniquely American way to refer to them...
04:25 PM - Feb 18, 2024
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