[Lexicog] circular definitions

[Koontz John E]

On Tue, 9 Mar 2004, Benjamin Barrett wrote:
> I think at least for the cow/bull entry in English, the dictionary
> should give examples of what sort of species the words apply to. Many
> native English speakers are not aware that a male whale is a bull and a
> female a cow. My American Heritage Dictionary 3 gives:
>  1a. An adult male bovine mammal. 1b. The uncastrated adult male of
>      domestic cattle. 1c. The male of certain other large animals, such
>      as the alligator, elephant, or moose.

I agree that this is a well thought out entry apart from omitting whales.
I hope the cow entry mentions that for some folks a cow is any adult
bovine creature (but not any adult non-bovine creature?).  I've been
gritting my teeth through references in this thread to male and female
cows, though I realize that the number of people in North America who make
the distinction bull vs. cow, let alone steer, is small.  I am minded of
the family story of a cousin of my mother's whose teacher glossed a
picture of a bovine with the words "Class, this is a cow.  We get milk
from cows."  He stood up and told her that you couldn't get milk or
anything else from that animal, because it was a steer.



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