When I eat chicken, I call it chicken. Chicken wing; chicken drumsticks etc.

When I eat lamb, I call it lamb. Lamb shank; lamb cutlets.

So why do I not eat pig or cow? I eat pork or beef. Is there a reason for that?

  • ME5SENGER_24@lemm.eeEnglish
    6·
    1 year ago

    Beef’s turn…

    c. 1300, “an ox, bull, or cow,” also the flesh of one when killed, used as food, from Old French buef “ox; beef; ox hide” (11c., Modern French boeuf), from Latin bovem (nominative bos, genitive bovis) “ox, cow,” from PIE root *gwou- “ox, bull, cow.” The original plural in the animal sense was beeves

    • BlueÆtherAEnglish
      2·
      1 year ago

      Then you get oddities like ox used for the offcuts/ofal (tail, cheeks, tongue, heart)

      • Case@unilem.orgEnglish
        5·
        1 year ago

        Wait, I’ve heard of oxtail as a delicious southern dish, but never had the opportunity to try it.

        Is it really just a generic cow tail?

        English is stupid, and I say that as a native speaker.