canberrabirds

Bird words

To: <>
Subject: Bird words
From: "Overs, Anthony \(REPS\)" <>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 15:24:19 +1000

Hi all

Im subscribed to the A.Word.A.Day service. I get an email each day with a different word, its meaning, origin, and an example of its use.

This weeks theme is terms coined after birds. I thought Id compile the five words and forward them to you for interest.



Birds get little respect. We tend to look down at non-human animals in general, but we are particularly unfair when it comes to birds (although we have to look up at them).

We call a stupid fellow a "bird brain". Australians call him a galah (a type of cockatoo). Something useless is said to be "for the birds". We name someone vain and self-conscious a peacock. One who is talkative or a hoarder is labelled a magpie. A cowardly or fearful fellow is a chicken... the list is endless.

We even kill two birds with one stone. I'd rather the idiom be to feed two birds with one grain.

This week we feature five terms coined after birds. Catch as many of these bird words as you can. After all, a word in the head is worth two in the book.


stormy petrel (STOR-mee PE-truhl) noun

   1. Any of various small sea birds of the family Hydrobatidae

      having dark feathers and lighter underparts, also known as

      Mother Carey's Chicken.

   2. One who brings trouble or whose appearance is a sign of coming trouble.

[The birds got the name storm petrel or stormy petrel because old-time sailors believed their appearance foreshadowed a storm. It's not certain why the bird is named petrel. One unsubstantiated theory is that it is named after St Peter who walked on water in the Gospel of Matthew. The petrel's habit of flying low over water with legs extended gives the appearance that it's walking on the water.]



kibitz (KIB-its) verb intr.

   1. To look on at some activity and offer unwanted advice or criticism.

   2. To chat or banter.

[From Yiddish kibitsen, from German kiebitzen (to look on at cards), from Kiebitz (busybody, literally pewit or lapwing, a shorebird with a bad reputation as a meddler).]



clay pigeon (klay PIJ-uhn) noun

   Someone in a situation vulnerable to be taken advantage of.

[After a piece of baked clay, called a clay pigeon, thrown into the air as a flying target in shooting practice.]



jaywalk (JAY-wok) verb intr.

   To cross a street in a reckless manner, disregarding traffic rules.

[As with other birds, the name jaybird denotes a naive person or simpleton. Early last century, country folks visiting big cities were often oblivious of any approaching traffic when they were crossing streets. Eventually their nickname, jays, became associated with crossing a street illegally.]



catbird seat (KAT-burd seet) noun

   A position of power and advantage.

[A catbird (named after its catlike call) is known to build a pile of rocks to attract a mate and sit on the highest point around. This _expression_ was often used by Brooklyn Dodgers baseball commentator Red Barber and further popularized by the author James Thurber in his story "The Catbird Seat" where a character often utters trite phrases, including the _expression_ "sitting in the catbird seat".]



An archive of words and subscription details can be found here: http://wordsmith.org/awad/index.html

Cheers

Anthony


Anthony Overs

Inquiry Secretary

Standing Committee on Communications, Information Technology and the Arts

House of Representatives

PO Box 6021

Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: (02) 6277 4572

Fax: (02) 6277 4827

Email:

http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/cita/index.htm

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