Idiom question

[A. Vine]

Beverly Flanigan wrote:
>
> >
> >Anyway, my point is not that urban folk don't know the difference between
> >a cow,
> >heifer, bull, and steer.  It's that there is no need for a distinction
> >when they
> >use "cow".  And "bovine" sounds scientific, over-educated, or
> >affected.  "Look,
> >there's a computer box with a bovine print!"  "I have a cream pitcher in the
> >shape of a bovine." "What sound does a bovine make?"
> >
> >Andrea
>
> Enough already!  But I will add that most prints one sees are in fact of a
> cow, not a bull or a steer.  Those of us "in the know" don't need to see
> the whole animal to tell the difference (though urban folk might--or would
> they know even then?); we can see maleness or femaleness in the face and
> horns.  The Gateway Holstein _cow_ is a lovely (and nostalgia-stirring)
> example of this.


Yes, but we know there is a difference.  We are not referring only to females.

--
Andrea Vine, avine at eng.sun.com, Sun-Netscape Alliance i18n architect
"So I just don't see this as an either-or issue as much as an apples
are yummy, and oranges are yummy, too, issue, and every now and then
fruit salad is tasty." -- Matthew Wall