canberrabirds

RE: the great 'keet' debate!

To: Philip Veerman <>, "" <>
Subject: RE: the great 'keet' debate!
From: "Baird, Ian" <>
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2014 00:55:50 +0000
I point out that the Macquarie Dictionary is an important authority for 
Australian English.
See the online Macquarie Dictionary entry below:-

/ˈpærəkit/ (say 'paruhkeet)
noun any of the numerous slender parrots, usually with a long, pointed, 
graduated tail, especially those of the genera Aratinga, Pyrrhura, and 
Psittacula, as the rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri, of Africa and 
Asia, or other small parrots commonly kept caged as pets, as the budgerigar, 
Melopsittacus undulatus.
 Also, Colloquial, 'keet. [Italian parochito, variant of parrochetto, 
diminutive of parroco parson]

Therefore Philip's contention (below) that a 'keet' should properly be regarded 
as a parrot or lorikeet is supported by a published authority.

Rgds,

Ian Baird  | Senior Policy  Officer
Phone: +61 2 6207 2336
Nature Conservation Policy | Environment and Planning Directorate | ACT 
Government
Level 1 North, Dame Pattie Menzies House, 16 Challis Street DICKSON | GPO Box 
158 CANBERRA ACT 2601 | www.environment.gov.au




-----Original Message-----
From: Philip Veerman 
Sent: Wednesday, 3 December 2014 11:33 AM
To: 
Subject: [canberrabirds] 'Guinea fowl keets for sale from $10 each'

Back to David's comment. He would appear to be correct, as noted on these
websites:

http://www.guineafowlforsale.com.au/about_guinea_fowl_and_keets.php, and

http://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/guineas/ which clearly gives that word use. 
I tried to copy the paragraphs here but would not allow this.

It does seem to be a strange to invent that word, rather than chick. Keet may 
have an African origin, independent of the parrot use. I have no idea.
Nothing odd about words having more than one meaning.

If it was "Guinea fowl, keets for sale from $10 each' then surely it should be 
"and" that was missing, rather than a comma. Then again if it is an and rather 
than young guinea fowls, then what would the "keets" be?

Then again so is "puggle" strange for a baby monotreme.

Philip

-----Original Message-----
From: Geoffrey Dabb 
Sent: Wednesday, 3 December 2014 10:11 AM
To: 
Subject: FW: [canberrabirds] 'Guinea fowl keets for sale from $10 each'


And maybe a bit beyond the mid-20thC, too ...

....  They were feeding on blossoms, and, unlike the 'keets, on buds and
lerps as well.

The Australian National Dictionary Centre has entries for 'keets' as a short
form for 'lorikeets'. In use from the 19thC until the mid-20thC. regards Con

New one on me. I wonder what that comes from, as "Keet" is usually
associated with parrots - as in lorikeet and parakeet.

Philip

On 2/12/2014 6:19 PM, David McDonald (personal) wrote:
> Someone yesterday posted to the Wamboin & Bywong Hub Facebook page
> 'Guinea fowl keets for sale from $10 each.'
>
> Probably everyone but me already knew that keets are young guinea
> fowls.
>
> One problem, though: it is not in the Oxford English Dictionary. A few
> citations in Trove. I have now submitted it to the OED for
> consideration next time they get to revise 'ke'.
>
> For info - David


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