Turkey in Turkey

[Andrew of Ware]

What are turkeys called in India?

[jw]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

In an also related note, the Canary Islands are mistakenly believed to be named after the canary bird, whereas in Spanish "Las Islas Canarias" means "The Island of Dogs". No idea why they called them that, but it has nothing to do with canaries.

Not according to Randy Newman, who possibly never studied Latin.

[Sebbenth]

Guys, please, read the article, it explains it all:

http://linguistlist.org/issues/7/7-174.html

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by jw

Not according to Randy Newman, who possibly never studied Latin.

Would that be the Randy Newman who has not much respect for short people by any chance? If we are thinkiking of the same bloke, he commands not much of my respect.

ETA I don't give a tin fig if he wrote the theme to "Toy Story", he does not have my respect.

[Troberg]

Originally Posted by Tarquin Farquart

On a slightly related note, I know that Danish pastries are called Viennese pastries in Denmark.

Yep, the same goes in Sweden. "Wienerbröd", literal translation "Vienna bread".

We also call hamburgers hamburgare. Literal translation "from hamburg"

Originally Posted by Tarquin Farquart

The Latin name, Cavia porcellus, also suggests pigs. Little pigs.

Swedish name is "marsvin", from the German "Meerschweinchen" (little sea pig), probably because they were shipped to Europe.

[Assilem Brandywine]

I think Randy Newman was being ironic when he wrote "Short People".

[Brad from Georgia]

When I was a youngster, we used to call turkeys "walking birds." Sometimes John D. Rockefeller flew over in a Zeppelin and threw them out to the crowds, along with shiny silver dimes. I remember one time I had to go over to Shelbyville to get a new heel for my shoe. Back then the ferry cost a nickel. Nickels used to have pictures of bees on them, so that's what we called them -- "Give me five bees for a quarter," we used to say. Anyway, the point was, I had an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time.....

[moonfall]

Originally Posted by Troberg

\:

Swedish name is "marsvin", from the German "Meerschweinchen" (little sea pig), probably because they were shipped to Europe.

It really does fit. They eat like pigs, and they squeal like pigs.

[Mosherette]

According to my Hindi-speaking friend, the word used for turkey is "'Turkey' in an Indian accent".

[ganzfeld]

In Japanese (and Korean) it's the "seven-faced bird" - shichimenchō 七面鳥. I think the Chinese word means something like "fire chicken": 火鸡 (火雞 unsimplified?) but I don't know how to pronounce this: huǒjī

[ganzfeld]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

In an also related note, the Canary Islands are mistakenly believed to be named after the canary bird, whereas in Spanish "Las Islas Canarias" means "The Island of Dogs". No idea why they called them that, but it has nothing to do with canaries.

But it does the other way around because the birds are named after the islands.

[Floater]

Originally Posted by Tarquin Farquart

On a slightly related note, I know that Danish pastries are called Viennese pastries in Denmark.

Originally Posted by Troberg

Yep, the same goes in Sweden. "Wienerbröd", literal translation "Vienna bread".

Someone once claimed that they were first baked by a Copenhagen baker call "Wiener". I tend not to believe him, though.

About the Canary islands (something seems to have happened to my previous posting): They were named "The Dog Islands" because the first Europeans that got there were impressed by the large(?) dogs that the natives kept.

[moonfall]

Originally Posted by ganzfeld

In Japanese (and Korean) it's the "seven-faced bird" - shichimenchō 七面鳥. I think the Chinese word means something like "fire chicken": 火鸡 (火雞 unsimplified?) but I don't know how to pronounce this: huǒjī

Any idea why for either?

[kanazawa]

Originally Posted by ganzfeld

but I don't know how to pronounce this: huǒjī

When you get the square boxes, it's a font problem. It should be "Huo" with a little "v" accent above the o, and "Ji" with a straight line over the i.

Not sure why seven faced bird. I guess if they have seven tailed foxes in Japan, anything is possible

Maybe try the Kan-Wa jiten?

[BamaRainbow]

A possible reason for the Japanese term shichimencho is offered at http://www.app.com/4074/nov2008/features/features.html (scroll down to "Thanksgiving Roll").

The relevant part:

The Japanese word for turkey is “shichimencho” – which translates to “seven-faced bird,’’ reflecting its ability to readily change its facial expressions based on its mood.

(I read what the chef is doing with the turkey, and I'm stumped. Since when did avocados become one of "the tastes of Thanksgiving?" I do have to admit the roll does sound somewhat tasty. It's actually too bad I don't eat turkey any more--all the descriptions of what all the chefs do with turkey sound absolutely scrumptious.)

[moonfall]

I think the avocado is more of a traditional part of sushi than Thanksgiving. Then again, Japanese interpretations of American holidays can be quite...interesting.

[kanazawa]

Originally Posted by moonfall

Then again, Japanese interpretations of American holidays can be quite...interesting.

Yeah, really....

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/cross.asp

[ganzfeld]

Originally Posted by kanazawa

When you get the square boxes, it's a font problem. It should be "Huo" with a little "v" accent above the o, and "Ji" with a straight line over the i.

No boxes for me. It's correct on all of my browser-computer configurations. Try changing your own settings.

[ganzfeld]

Originally Posted by BamaRainbow

A possible reason for the Japanese term shichimencho is offered at http://www.app.com/4074/nov2008/features/features.html (scroll down to "Thanksgiving Roll").

I don't really buy that explanation. I've always thought it referred to the fact that a turkey has many "faces" depending on what angle you see it from because of its tail feathers.

Who knows what chefs do with avocado. It's like sushi in the US. Chefs around the world just make stuff up and call it authentic. Sometimes it's delicious. (See California roll and the American enchilada.)

[Joostik]

Originally Posted by Floater

About the Canary islands (something seems to have happened to my previous posting): They were named "The Dog Islands" because the first Europeans that got there were impressed by the large(?) dogs that the natives kept.

Large they were: Perro de Presa Canario