cancun mark:
I like to characterize myself as charismatic megafauna.
How did the Jewfish get it's name?
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I like to characterize myself as charismatic megafauna.
Late to the thread as usual...
Six of my dive buddies are Jewish and I have been diving with one of them for 25 years. It has always been a Jewfish to them, and the reference has never offended. Several weeks ago I told dive buddies Jeff and Susan (she keeps a Kosher kitchen) that Jewfish had been change to Goliath Grouper. Their response: Why?
Gee, I am Catholic. Can we rename a fish so my faith is represented? You don't want to offend me, do you?
---Bob
Six of my dive buddies are Jewish and I have been diving with one of them for 25 years. It has always been a Jewfish to them, and the reference has never offended. Several weeks ago I told dive buddies Jeff and Susan (she keeps a Kosher kitchen) that Jewfish had been change to Goliath Grouper. Their response: Why?
Gee, I am Catholic. Can we rename a fish so my faith is represented? You don't want to offend me, do you?
---Bob
TX101
Contributor
I remember a woman from the US working in Australia while I was there and asking:
Her: "So, do you have many African Americans over here?"
Me: "A few I guess, but mostly tourists.."
Her: "What about the ones that were already here when the English settled?"
Me: "I had no idea there were any African Americans in Australia over 200 years ago."
Her: "???"
I still don't think she "got" it.
Her: "So, do you have many African Americans over here?"
Me: "A few I guess, but mostly tourists.."
Her: "What about the ones that were already here when the English settled?"
Me: "I had no idea there were any African Americans in Australia over 200 years ago."
Her: "???"
I still don't think she "got" it.
Dot Wethington
Guest
I am not sure where the name "Jewfish" comes from-- but my theory-- is Everyone knows the story of "Jonah swallowed by the Whale"-- in the Bible-- well -- maybe it was a very large grouper -- Jonah was Jewish, and hence the grouper swallowed the Jew??? All I know is you certainly don't want to put your hand near those cute, loveable looking Goliath Groupers, because they will take you by the hand and lead you all the way to the Dead Sea!!! Ever see that episode of Manny who got grabbed by a Goliath Grouper? He had to drag it all the way to the surface in order for it to let go-- and he was lucky-- (he was free diving at the time).
The story of how the Jewfish got its name is an interesting one-- I would like to know the real story.
What about how did the Nurse Shark get its name???
Dottie Wethington, Licensed Nurse, EMT, Nitrox Diver and Lover of all Wildlife-
The story of how the Jewfish got its name is an interesting one-- I would like to know the real story.
What about how did the Nurse Shark get its name???
Dottie Wethington, Licensed Nurse, EMT, Nitrox Diver and Lover of all Wildlife-
Nurse sharks make a sucking sound. It sounds like they are nursing.
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Found by accident, good old thread
A few years ago, an aging cracker who worked for FWC told me that it was originally called the Jewel Fish for the bright blue jewels on it's face. Southern drawls ultimately truncated the name to Jewfish. However, renaming it the Goliath Grouper is ironic as this was the Jew's worst enemy in the Old Testament. I still call it the Jewfish.
Other names have been corrupted over the years, so this should be no surprise to us. The Spanish "el lagarto" become "alligator" and places like Carysfort Reef was actually named after the HMS Carysford. Names evolve and change over the years no matter what language you speak. BTW, the term "cracker" has an interesting origin too. It refers to the old Florida cowboys who used whips to control their herds. While a few see it as an insult, most native Floridians use it to honor their native Floridian elders.
Other names have been corrupted over the years, so this should be no surprise to us. The Spanish "el lagarto" become "alligator" and places like Carysfort Reef was actually named after the HMS Carysford. Names evolve and change over the years no matter what language you speak. BTW, the term "cracker" has an interesting origin too. It refers to the old Florida cowboys who used whips to control their herds. While a few see it as an insult, most native Floridians use it to honor their native Floridian elders.
I dove with this little guy off of Key Largo last August:
To me it's a Jewfish, not some silly PC name, and I take no offense at it - nor do I know any other members of my tribe who do. But when the numb nut with an IQ equal to his shoe size spouts the crap he did, I get a wee bit testy. No offense intended to the greater population of crackers, rednecks, hill rods, lipnickies, etc.
To me it's a Jewfish, not some silly PC name, and I take no offense at it - nor do I know any other members of my tribe who do. But when the numb nut with an IQ equal to his shoe size spouts the crap he did, I get a wee bit testy. No offense intended to the greater population of crackers, rednecks, hill rods, lipnickies, etc.
Here in Aus a completely different species is called a "Jewfish" in some states. The Key Largo one pictured looks much more like what we'd call a "Queensland Groper" or "Giant Grouper". The Oz "jewfish" has some vague similarities, and can grow to substantial size, but is a very different species from a very different family, though it was probably named after yours by early English mariners.
Here the answer is easy. Its Yaralde (an Indigenous language) name is "Mulloway", and it is generally known as such in the southern states. Maybe there is an Indigenous name for your northern hemisphere namesake? Certainly overcome any concerns some may have about "correctness" and give you a name of far greater antiquity too!
Here the answer is easy. Its Yaralde (an Indigenous language) name is "Mulloway", and it is generally known as such in the southern states. Maybe there is an Indigenous name for your northern hemisphere namesake? Certainly overcome any concerns some may have about "correctness" and give you a name of far greater antiquity too!
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