… and then the French decided to call all the big herbivores “Pachyderme” from Greek pakhúdérma (thick+skin).
Because you need a thick skin to deal with the French?
Or was it the Romans?
Category: Series
Animal Names. Episode 3a, Largest cont.
… What about its sticky-outie teeth?
Its flexible nose?
Its legs like umbrella stands?
No! No! No!
So what did they call it?
Elephas, possibly from Phoenician through Greek and we have no proof what that meant. …
(It possibly meant “Ivory”, Homer used it as such)
Animal Names. Episode 3, Largest.
Then Hannibal introduced the Romans to the largest living land animal.
Did they name it for being the largest?
Of course not, too easy.
Did they name it for its big flappy ears? No. …
Animal Names. Episode 2, Pot Belly.
It started with the Greeks.
They went to north Africa & were shown this huge beast on the riverbanks.
Did they name it for its pot belly? Too easy.
How about its fat legs? Peg like teeth? No, no!
They called it hippopótamos: Water horse.
Love to see you saddle that buster!
Animal Names. Episode 1, Introduction.
One of the things that really annoys me is giving stupid pseudo Latin or Greek names to animals.
Read on for examples …