[Lexicog] Prototypical bird

[Fritz Goerling]

Excellent analysis, Jess,  presented in a non-dogmatic way.

I have conducted tests on prototypical birds in different

languages and cultures, Western and non-Western.

The majority voted for a small bird, the sparrow coming out

on top.

 

Fritz Goerling

 

 

Salishan languages in the North American Pacific Northwest and Yahgan
(which I believe may be somehow genetically relatable) at the southern
tip of South America conflate generic 'bird' with 'small animal', so
lack of bodily extention may be part of the prototype? That is, no
part of the body overly extended- whether wings (as in albatross),
necks (geese), legs (herons), beaks, etc. Literally a nice all-round
bird/animal that make them great prototype material?

>From this perspective it is interesting that monkey alarm calls seem
to associate strongly with such extentions- predatory birds have wings
with large surface areas making them seem planar, predatory snakes are
linear, predatory mammals though? The bodily specializations
themselves often (though of course not at all always) associate with
feeding and locomotive strategies that prey can learn to recognize as
threatening.

Have any of you run across other languages where 'bird' and 'small
animal' are conflated?

Jess Tauber









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