[Lexicog] What is a bat?

[Fritz Goerling]

Wayne, interesting to hear that in your part of the world people feel the
same, viz.
that the bat is so special that it does not fit a category like "bird".
Strictly speaking
it does not fulfill a number of scientific criteria of "birdiness, like
it does not have a beak and does not lay eggs. BUT it flies. So it is not
surprizing that in other cultures and languages it is classified under
"birds,"
as some of the answers to the question "What is a bat?" have shown.
Another characteristic: Why don't bats like to live alone?
                                        They like to hang around with their
friends.

Fritz Goerling

Fritz, the Cheyennes have the same story about a bat wondering in which
category he belongs. He is rejected by both birds and animals, so that is
why he hides out in the dark. It is amazing to me how often a story is found
in many different parts of the world.

As for a Cheyenne word for bat, one is not well known, but in the old story
the word is moseskanetsenoonahe, literally 'brownish-colored-winged-one".

Wayne
-----
Wayne Leman
Cheyenne website: http://www.geocities.com/cheyenne_language


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