When I eat chicken, I call it chicken. Chicken wing; chicken drumsticks etc.

When I eat lamb, I call it lamb. Lamb shank; lamb cutlets.

So why do I not eat pig or cow? I eat pork or beef. Is there a reason for that?

  • UnknownQuantity@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    My country had not been invaded by the Normans and we speak completely different language, yet we don’t call it pig or cow either.

    • whenigrowup356@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      If you don’t mind my asking, which language is yours?

      It’s an interesting question to ponder which different languages ended up with distinction words for the meat vs the living animal, and maybe what that says about the culture.

      The distinction is not a feature of French, from what I understand, and English ending up with this distinction seems to have been entirely accidental.

    • bigkix@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      My country also has not been invaded by the Normans but we call pig a pig and cow a cow.