this post was submitted on 29 Oct 2023
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[–] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

This is just because English sucks, or English speaking people suck at naming things. Let me show you how it's done:

In Dutch:

Horseshoe crabs are called "dagger crabs", and look what it's dragging behind.

Cuttlefish are called "ink fish", and tadaa.

Jellyfish are "kwallen", which means roughly "annoying person", and they're pretty annoying.

Bald eagles are "American Eagles", you're welcome.

A sand dollar is called a "sea coin", because of where it lives and what it resembles, which is way more accurate.

And a fly is still a fly.

[–] Blubton@feddit.nl 1 points 2 years ago

In Dutch, the Common Drone Fly is also called "Blinde Bij", which means "Blind Bee". This is because this animal is neither blind nor a bee and the Dutch are very good at naming things

[–] PM_ME_FEET_PICS@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Animals who do not live up to thier names Dutch edition.

Dagger Crabs - Don't have daggers and not crabs.

Ink Fish - Not actually fish.

Kwallen- Not actually a person.

American Eagles - Found all over Canada and upper Mexico.

Sea Coins - Can't actually be used as coins.

[–] accideath@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Canada and Mexico are still America so I‘d say it does live up to its name

[–] PM_ME_FEET_PICS@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Nobody refers to Canada or Mexico as America. North America is not America and American is exclusively used to refer to the US.

[–] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] PM_ME_FEET_PICS@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] prayer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 years ago

Funny how Canadians don't want to be called "American", Mexicans don't want to be called "American", but everyone from outside the area INSISTS that it's an appropriate name for them. Even the commenter above called you a "US person", the only other time I've seen that was in legislation about immigration, never as a demonym.

[–] zeekaran@sopuli.xyz 0 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Canada and Mexico are still part of the Americas.

[–] PM_ME_FEET_PICS@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 years ago

American doesn't refer to North America in naming animals or its people. No one from Canada or Mexico call themselves American.