Peter J. Alling wrote:
Keith Whaley wrote:
[...]
The "Guinea fowl" name came from the fact that this genus (Meleagris galloparo) was originally imported to Portugal from New Guinea, which was a Turkish territory back then. Over time, the bird's name became commonly known as a Turkey.
How long the North American turkey was here, and from where it came specifically, I don't know, but the above history is true.
Sorry that's wrong. See:
http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/dfw_turkey_learning_kit.htm#Q1
"Wrong?" All I see is a massive elaboration and coloration of most of my comments.
The only thing that URL didn't address was my unoriginal thesis that the name came about as a result of the Portuguese importation from New Guinea, a territory of Turkey.
For refutation of any of those contentions, you'll have to take it up with the authors of "The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology," The Oxford Universisty Press, London, the source I used.
keith whaley
keith
Now why is it can I never seem to remember anything useful?
graywolf
Peter J. Alling wrote:
My strange sense of humor is all. Due to an accident of history this native American Bird is called a Turkey. A term of derision in American English, due to the domesticated variety of turkey's supposed stupidity, is to call someone a "Turkey", Then there is the statement in the true but not necessarily important category "You are what you eat."
[...]
