wrote on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 6:02
PM:
> I actually still use the name Little Falcon, which I think I
> prefer, despite the bird being officially known as an
> Australian Hobby for most of my life. This stems from when I
> birded with my dad as a kid. (In preference I may start using
> the Latin name, Falco longipennis.)
No, no, don't do that, you'll frighten people! I just remembered I once
read that kestrels were called "wind f***ers" several hundred years ago,
meaning "wind beater", but this usage obviously died out as the f word
became obscene. Not that many referrences to this on the web, which
makes me suspect that perhaps this is an urban myth. The Wikipedia
people seem suspicious too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Common_Kestrel
But I did find this reference to it:
http://archives.conlang.info/be/suenvhia/saulpedoen.html
Has anyone else heard of this? I assumed it was true when I read it
(not on the internet, maybe in a newspaper), but I'm wondering now if
it's one of those myths that people just perpetuate by repeating without
checking, with the result that it becomes "common knowledge".
Peter Shute
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