What’s in a name?

[shakeybrainsurgeon]

The belief that the words jellyfish, cuttlefish, starfish and crayfish are misnomers derives from the scientific definition of the word "fish" which includes only those aquatic gilled creatures with endoskeletons, from lampreys to boney fish. However, non-scientific definitions of the word (e.g., the American Heritage dictionary) includes invertebrate aquatic animals like jellyfish in the definition.

I think it was Mark Twain who said that the true definition of a word is what you and I undertstand it to mean.

 

[knotical]

Sea lice aren't lice.

 

[Walter]

Sea lice aren't lice.

No, they're jellyfish....LOL!!!!

 

[archman]

No, they're jellyfish....LOL!!!!

Or protozoans... or cyanobacteria... or barnacles... or isopods. I'm sure I'm missing some additional "sea lice" groups.:11:

 

[DavidPT40]

The name Killer Whale was translated backwards from the spanish sailors who called them 'Whale Killers' after seeing the orcas kill other whales.

 

[peterbkk]

In Thailand, in the Thai language, divers are called "Minoot Gop", literally "Human Frog". I guess it was originally translated from "Frogmen". That was a misnomer corrected in English but not yet in Thai.