calimac: (Default)
[personal profile] calimac
Turkeys, the bird, are not from Turkey, the country, but they're named for it from a mistaken association* similar to the one by which American Indians, who are not from India, are nevertheless named as if they were.

Now the country's government wants English-speakers and others to call it Türkiye, which is the spelling in its own language, to reclaim a little unavian dignity. But since they had the name first, they really ought to ask us to change the name of the bird instead.

*Guinea fowl, which aren't from Turkey either, they're from Africa, were imported via Turkey, so they became known as turkey-cocks, and the American birds reminded people of them so they took the same name.

Date: 2024-12-21 10:00 am (UTC)
cmcmck: (Default)
From: [personal profile] cmcmck
I susect thay can want away because I can't see it happening as English doesn't do diacriticals.

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