spelling of Gang-Gang

["Geoffrey Dabb" <>]

Deja-vu all over again.  The attached is from May 2007, the last time we had this discussion.

 

From: Margaret Leggoe [
Sent: Tuesday, 22 May 2012 9:51 AM
To: 'John Leonard'; 'Canberra Birds'
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] spelling of Gang-Gang

 

I am surprised that a capital is used at all, except at the beginning of a sentence.  For example, we have no problems with writing chicken, duck, turkey, horse, pig etc without capitals.  Where the first name is taken from a human or place, e.g. Australian raven the first name commences with a capital, but not the second.

There is a Dog barking outside, it has just frightened off the currawongs in the back yard.  Or should the capitals be the other way around?

Margaret Leggoe

 

From: John Leonard m("gmail.com]","calyptorhynchus");">[
Sent: Tuesday, 22 May 2012 8:47 AM
To: Canberra Birds
Subject: [canberrabirds] spelling of Gang-Gang

 

Philip Veerman has raised the issue of my spelling of Gang-Gang, saying it should be Gang-gang.

 

Obviously this isn't the same issue as Sea-Eagle, Shrike-Thrush &c

 

I can't think of any other reduplictive onomatopoeic bird-names that are spelled as two words with a hyphen. Where there are such names they are usually spelled as one word, for example the African birds Brubru and Boubou. Other two syllable onomatopoeic names are also spelled as one word, ie Cuckoo, Hoopoe, Towhee, Veery &c

 

I think it's just a matter of preference with a name that is sui generis. My defence would be that in the GG's call the two syllables (where two syllables are produced)  are distinct and equally stressed. Plus I think that Gang-Gang looks better on the page.

 

:-)

 

--
John Leonard
Canberra
Australia
www.jleonard.net

I want to be with the 9,999 other things.

Hobbys and hobbies.doc
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