(Well, actually, the last stork I saw wasn't that dignified or imposing - it was standing morosely in an English field with rain cascading off the end of its beak - but mostly
Photo of a Whooping Crane by John Noll Wikimedia Commons
are
Immature Painted Storks at nests J.M.Garg
terrific.)
White Stork
Anyway, the thing is, why are they called storks? Stork sounds harsh and scouring and pointy.
(Yes, yes, it's true their beaks are pointy, but, hey, it's a bird. What do you expect?)
The trouble with not using the word stork, of course, is that there's no other word for, well, a stork. The scientific name for its family is the Ciconiidae, but that's not a lot of use in everyday life.
So what we can do if we see a stork?
Unfortunately I haven't the faintest idea.
Rats.
Word Not To Us Today: stork. This word comes from Old English storc, which is related to the Old English stearc, stiff, from the appearance of its legs.
I love the word and actually think it suits the bird. Beak and those long legs...which make you think of STALK! Plus it's a margarine which is very good for baking so I'm fond of the word all round!
ReplyDeleteI see what you mean, Adele, but I still feel rather sorry for those poor baby storks who would really like to be interior decorators or ballerinas when they grow up. It isn't at all soft, is it.
Delete