Yes, it is something to do with the number three.
So: any guesses as to what a tercel might be?
No, it's not a type of fabric consisting of three types of thread, a tercel is a male falcon or hawk, especially one used in falconry.
So what has that got to do with the number three?
Well, male birds of prey tend to be considerably smaller than their mates (to the extent that they sometimes take different prey, which is neat if you think about it). In fact some females are a third bigger than the males.
But even so most people don't think that has anything to do with the word tercel.
Male Eurasian sparrowhawk: photo by Pierre Dalous - File:Accnis.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27184634
Most people think that the reason a male hunting bird is called a tercel is because of the belief that only one egg in three produces a male bird.
It doesn't seem to be true, but it's still rather wonderful.
Word To Use Today: tercel. This word comes from French, from the Italian terzetto, diminutive of terzo, third, from the Latin tertius.
Can you imagine a human society where the females were so much bigger than the males?
Okay. Now how about writing a book about it?
you are a kindred spirit ... here is one I find fascinating, "gala" ... it came from Old French into Italian and back into French before arriving in English. It kept the Italian spelling to avoid a homophone with gale.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting, William, thank you. I always wonder why the Durham miners pronounce that word GAYla. I must do some research!
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