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Letters to WB |
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"Turkey "Dear WB: Does the fact that there is a country named Turkey have anything to do with the name of the bird? Also, what is the origin of the use of the word "turkey"
in such things as "going cold turkey," or "you are a turkey," etc.? Thank you. Sincerely, Yes, the bird does get its name from the country, although not in a straightforward way. The American turkey was at first confounded with the guinea fowl, a bird of African origin that was introduced to Europe through Turkey, which gave the bird its name. The American bird has retained this name while the African bird has not. The expression "cold turkey" comes from the resemblance between the goosebumps and pallor that accompany heroin withdrawal and the appearance of cold, plucked, turkey flesh. Anyone who has raised turkeys (as my father has) can tell you that the turkey is just about the stupidest animal on the planet. For example, domestic
turkeys sometimes die of dehydration when good water is within easy reach. Wild turkeys are easy to hunt because they are not agile or fast and do not fly very
well or very far. Calling someone a turkey is an insult indeed.
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FEATURE
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