By memory, wind f**kers is listed in the Oxford Dictionary to British Bird
Names (as mentioned previously in this stream). The book is at home so I
can't check but I think it provides an ample description of the derivation.
It is a name I once corrupted for use instead of kestrel (nankeen that is)
among some of the more crass of my birding friends (actually that's all of
them) some time ago as a rebellion against the conservatism among common
names for Australian birds.
I'm always happy to rant at great length about how much I hate the use of
words such as magpie, robin and wren for birds not remotely related to the
original bearers of such names. I won't even begin to describe how I loath
shrike-thrush and shrike-tit etc.
I'm too busy today to venture down this path once more and hence you will
all be spared my bile. Count your blessings.
Regards
Terry Reis
-----Original Message-----
From:
On Behalf Of Peter Shute
Sent: Thursday, 26 July 2007 9:30 AM
To: Tim Dolby; ; Philip Veerman
Cc: Birding-Aus
Subject: What is in a name?
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
==========www.birding-aus.org
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