[分享]sheep, goat , lamb 中文都是羊

[台灣英語網1.0]

剛剛讀空英，學了一些字，不過絕對記不住，
第一、sheep and goats are different.
第二、英文對這些動物的命名，真是變態。
有通稱、有小的、有老的、有公的、有母的。
A young sheep is called a lamb.
The word sheep is identical in both its singular and plural forms.
We usually eat the meat of a lamb or mutton(the meat from an older sheep).
An adult male sheep is called a ram.
An adult female sheep is called a ewe.
Ram and awe are used for wool or eating.

Goats are usually used for milk.
An adult male goat is called a billy goat.
An adult female goat is called a nanny.

[台灣英語網1.0]

"英文對這些動物的命名，真是變態。"



哈哈哈哈！看到這句話令我發出會心的大笑！

I can't agree with you more!

你舉的例子還算簡單，中文的花豹、黑豹、美洲豹、印度豹...等，都是豹。光看字面就知道是什麼豹，只要學一個單字就好。

可是變態的英文呢，英國的學者一定有自虐狂：leopard, cheetah, panther, cougar, jaguar, puma, cat，這些都是豹，小隻的叫 cub，完全不同的字，看到一隻豹，還得趕快想想是什麼豹？可是大部分的時候根本分不出。我問過很多美國人 alligator 和 crocodile 有什麼不同？十個有九個分不出來，我天天看 Discovery Channel 到現在還是分不清。

動物也就算了，其他很多字群也很變態，例如顏色，深紅、淺紅、粉紅、暗紅、棕紅、血紅...等，也都是不同的字，讀小說很少看到 dark red, deep red, light red　這種沒學問的形容詞。

http://thesaurus.reference.com/browse/red

bloodshot, bloody, blush, blushing, brick, burgundy, cardinal, carmine, cerise, cherry, claret, color, commie, coral, crimson, erubescence, fiery, glowing, inflamed, magenta, maroon, pink, reddishness, roseate, rosy, rouge, rubescence, rubicundity, rubious, ruby, ruddy, rufosity, rust, scarlet, solferino, titian, vermilion

以上我只認得一半，還少了個 salmon, 如果乘以彩虹七色，光是顏色的單字就多的累死人。

不過美國人大概也認為中國人很變態：an apple, a book, a stick, a bridge, a road, a card... 都是一，幹嘛還分個、本、根、座、張...?

[台灣英語網1.0]

就像牛有

cow, bull, ox, cattle, bovine, buffalo...

連貓狗也都各自有自己的玩法...