English word usage

[theferret]

I don't quite remember how we got on the topic but my family started talking about buffalo tonight at dinner. By buffalo we meant American Bison which led to a discussion of why the word "buffalo" is used. None of us knew the history behind which word (buffalo or bison) was first used and how the distinct eventually came about. While they don't

Comments

[duane_kc]

Online resources seem to have it being descended from Greek roots meaning "wild ox". So, in that sense, it's correctly applied to any non-domesticated bovine, in popular usage.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=bison
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=buffalo&searchmode=none

[ithildae]

There are currently 29 working definitions of a species in the science literature. Most of them are based on phenotype, so genetics don't much matter. (Except that genetics matter a lot.) Genus usually indicates that species cannot breed across them, except where they can. It would be nice if we could standardize our classification definitions, but the politics of the endangered species act plays merry hell with trying to change anything that could potentially change/add/subtract the critters on the official list. Politics wagging science in this case.

[yesididit]

why do we park on a driveway and drive on a parkway? its backwards!