Caption on a nature site: "Ruby-_Throat_ Hummingbird"

[Arnold Zwicky]

On Jul 7, 2012, at 6:22 PM, Herb Stahlke wrote:
>
> I've been surprised recently about how the ice cream phenomenon is
> spreading.  A local restaurant has a sign "Experience breakfast cook
> needed."

the phenomenon has been very widespread for a long time.  aren't you just saying here that this is one example you don't recall having seen before?

> On Sat, Jul 7, 2012 at 7:37 PM, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>> Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
>> Subject:      Caption on a nature site: "Ruby-_Throat_ Hummingbird"
>> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Till now, I'd been under the impression that the hummingbird was
>> called "ruby-throat_ed_."

this example is unclear, since it could be a reinterpretation, as 'hummingbird with a ruby throat'.

arnold

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