the cock [was: More surprising censorship]

[Dennis R. Preston]

Joel,

Good observation; as soon as my note left, I wanted to add that it is
still there is fixed expressions (as are many relics).

I don't understand your 'hen' explanation.

dInIs



>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>-----------------------
>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
>Subject:      Re: the cock [was: More surprising censorship]
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>At 8/11/2007 11:14 AM, Dennis Preston wrote:
>>Interesting that "cock" (the male bird) gets no raised eyebrows in
>>combined forms - 'peacock' (now used for male and female instead of
>>the older 'peafowl'), 'woodcock,' 'gamecock,' etc..., but 'cock'
>>alone for 'rooster' is long gone.
>
>Is it?  "Cock of the walk."  "The cock crows at {sunrise, midnight, ...}
>
>Perhaps "cock" for "rooster" is long gone because we have the very
>concise "hen".  Females of other fowl have longer names, or perhaps
>we would even have to invent some, to avoid the bland "woodfowl" or
>"woodhen" formations.
>
>Joel
>
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--
Dennis R. Preston
University Distinguished Professor
Department of English
15C Morrill Hall
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824
517-353-4736
preston at msu.edu

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