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What’s in a name? (i.imgur.com)
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[-] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 72 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

This is just because English sucks, or English speaking people suck at naming things. Let me show you how it's done:

In Dutch:

Horseshoe crabs are called "dagger crabs", and look what it's dragging behind.

Cuttlefish are called "ink fish", and tadaa.

Jellyfish are "kwallen", which means roughly "annoying person", and they're pretty annoying.

Bald eagles are "American Eagles", you're welcome.

A sand dollar is called a "sea coin", because of where it lives and what it resembles, which is way more accurate.

And a fly is still a fly.

[-] Blubton@feddit.nl 50 points 2 years ago

In Dutch, the Common Drone Fly is also called "Blinde Bij", which means "Blind Bee". This is because this animal is neither blind nor a bee and the Dutch are very good at naming things

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[-] thelsim@sh.itjust.works 67 points 2 years ago

Secretarybird: refuses to schedule my meetings

[-] thelsim@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 years ago

Nevermind, I found oneSecretary secratarybird
I'm sorry.. just... so sorry..

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[-] MonsiuerPatEBrown@reddthat.com 61 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

king cobra - not a true cobra & snakes are largely self-organizing without monarchs

[-] atomicorange@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

We’re more of an autonomous collective!

I like the philosophical implications of the word king in the context of king snakes. For snakes, it just means that their diet consists primarily of other snakes. This implies that to be a king is to be a predator who preys on his own subjects.

[-] bdkmshr@monyet.cc 11 points 1 year ago

They're probably anarchist

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[-] Cory_t_@lemmy.world 55 points 2 years ago

Animals that live up to their acronym:

  • Goat

Change my mind

[-] HonoraryMancunian@lemmy.world 27 points 2 years ago

Animals that live up to their backronym:

  • pig

Pink inquisitive grunter

[-] Siethron@lemmy.world 13 points 2 years ago

It's probably a typo but 'backronym' is a great word and concept. Backwards acronym.

[-] abrasiveteapot@sh.itjust.works 26 points 2 years ago

It's a real word. And used correctly in context so unlikely to be a typo.

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/backronym

https://www.wordnik.com/words/backronym

Acronyms were very rare prior to about mid 20thC.

A number of words sound like they should be an acronym or people searching for an explanation of them make backronyms out of them.

Posh and rap being turned into acronyms as per the first like are good examples of a backronym.

[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 33 points 2 years ago

Bat (useless as a blunt weapon)

[-] thelsim@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 years ago

A bat bat on the other hand...
bat bat

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[-] theharber@sh.itjust.works 30 points 2 years ago

Animals that live up to their names ;

  • Sea cucumber
  • Woodpecker
  • Babadook
[-] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 24 points 2 years ago

Do babadooks actually dook any babas?

[-] Iapar@feddit.de 13 points 2 years ago

All the time.

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[-] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 29 points 2 years ago

In my town there's a shop that sells rocks and crystals etc. They also sell sand dollars for $1. That's right, there's a 1:1 conversion rate between sand dollars and USD.

[-] xantoxis@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago

They probably never change that price either, so it's actually pinned to the dollar.

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[-] bungle_in_the_jungle@lemmy.world 23 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

This leads me to one of my favourite dad jokes:

What do you call a fly without wings?

A walk

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[-] Knusper@feddit.de 23 points 2 years ago

I was wondering, why it's called "vampire squid". I guess, due to this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_squid

[-] SolOrion@sh.itjust.works 10 points 2 years ago

I was actually fine not knowing holy shit that's nightmare fuel.

[-] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 23 points 2 years ago

Animal that does not live up to its name:

cuttlefish - is not a fish

Animal that does live up to its name:

woodpecker

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[-] Maultasche@feddit.de 22 points 2 years ago

I'm pretty sure ca. 50% of peacocks have one.

[-] Citheronia@lemmy.world 31 points 2 years ago

actually, all or nearly all peacocks have cocks. the ones that don't are peahens.

[-] Lophostemon@aussie.zone 15 points 2 years ago

I was under the impression that male birds do not possess a protruding organ but indeed have a hole too, hence ‘no cock’.

[-] Citheronia@lemmy.world 24 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

didn't think i would be googling "peacock genitalia" today. anyway, you are right. i was confused because I know that ducks have penises, but as I just found out, ducks are actually an exception in the bird world. most birds just kind of rub their holes together. this is sometimes called "cloacal kiss", which is really funny.

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[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 21 points 2 years ago

Peacocks actually have no penis whatsoever. Be glad. You give a bird a penis and they get really into rape

[-] TryingToEscapeTarkov@lemmy.world 21 points 2 years ago

Praying mantis had me rolling haha.

[-] Kolanaki@yiffit.net 21 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Peacocks have cocks. Peahens do not.

Also:

Spider (doesn't actually spy)

[-] Dave@lemmy.nz 9 points 1 year ago

Peacocks have cocks. Peahens do not.

Peacocks don't have a pecker in their privates. Instead of a johnson, they have a cloaca. No willie.

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[-] erusuoyera@sh.itjust.works 19 points 2 years ago

Animal that does not live up to its name:

Red Panda. Not Red, not a panda

Animal that lives up to its name:

Sloth

[-] Strawberry 12 points 2 years ago

Panda bears were actually named that after the red panda, so really it's they who aren't pandas

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[-] SharkEatingBreakfast@sopuli.xyz 19 points 2 years ago

Bearded dragons do have beards! Just made of spikes instead of hair.

[-] EmoDuck@sh.itjust.works 16 points 2 years ago

AWAIL (A while ago I learned) that butterflies are named that because they like to drink the fatty cream that form atop of fresh milk that's used to make butter.

This also goes for german. The Schmetter in Schmetterling has ethymological connections to Schmalz

[-] ComradePorkRoll@lemmy.ml 13 points 2 years ago

Stop trying to make AWAIL happen. It's not going to happen.

[-] EmoDuck@sh.itjust.works 20 points 2 years ago

I tried to. But, alas, to no awail

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[-] kennismigrant@feddit.nl 14 points 2 years ago

Bird that does not live up to its name: tit.

Estonian edition (I'm not a native speaker): viinamäetigu. Not related to any alcohol (viin), does not live on mountains (mäe), mostly found outside of vineyards (viinamäe). At least it is a snail (tigu).

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[-] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world 12 points 2 years ago

Im 99.9% certain that whomever named the ping pong tree sponge was high, drunk or both at the moment of inspiration 😄

The sunfish checks out, though, since it likes sunbathing.

[-] jmer@ttrpg.network 12 points 2 years ago

Bald Eagles have no hair. Ergo, bald? /S

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[-] AeonFelis@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

Hermit crab - I would not expect hermits to spend so much time and effort on acquiring bigger houses.

[-] Strawberry 10 points 2 years ago

Elephant shrew: not an elephant, not a shrew

Golden mole: not a mole

Otter shrew: not an otter, not a shrew

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[-] moistclump@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

I can’t believe it’s not butterfly

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[-] MargotRobbie@lemm.ee 10 points 2 years ago

What about a roadrunner? They do occasionally run on roads in real life, so they do live up to their name.

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this post was submitted on 29 Oct 2023
1203 points (100.0% liked)

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