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#182132 - 01/28/09 04:31 PM A bird in the hand
addict
Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 665
Loc: Auckland, New Zealand
While learning a new JJ Cale song to play on my guitar I came across 'Whippporwill' I'd never heard of such a thing so I looked it up and lo and behold, I found this amzing little creature referenced too in no less than Forty Five different songs. On delving deeper I found that it lives in Central America all the way up to Southeastern Canada, likely why we don't sing about them down here. Though I am not a great believer of superstition, its call is said to be a harbinger of death much like the Local Ruru or Morepork, they even look and sound similar, not surprising as they are from the same class.
Magnolia by JJ Cale
Whippoorwill’s singing
Soft summer breeze
Makes me think of my baby
I left down in new orleans
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#182135 - 01/28/09 04:50 PM 
old hand
Registered: 02/28/08
Posts: 796
Loc: western NY
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#182136 - 01/28/09 06:06 PM
old hand
Registered: 02/20/08
Posts: 1067
Loc: Tasmania
We also have moreporks here (at least on the mainland, not sure about Tassie. They are also called mopokes. Both names are onomatopoeic of their mournful call.
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#182145 - 01/29/09 02:35 AM
Pooh-Bah
Registered: 08/27/02
Posts: 2064
Loc: British Columbia, Canada
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#182147 - 01/29/09 06:39 AM
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 12/01/00
Posts: 12532
We also have moreporks here (at least on the mainland, not sure about Tassie. They are also called mopokes. Both names are onomatopoeic of their mournful call.
Some of them are non-rhotic and some aren't.
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#182149 - 01/29/09 07:22 AM
old hand
Registered: 02/20/08
Posts: 1067
Loc: Tasmania
We also have moreporks here (at least on the mainland, not sure about Tassie. They are also called mopokes. Both names are onomatopoeic of their mournful call.
Some of them are non-rhotic and some aren't.
Actually I heard an American today on the radio pronounce 'environmental' non-rhotically. Even an Aussie wouldn't do that. It was weird. What kind of US accent would that be? The pronunciation was something like 'envionmental' or even 'eviomennal.'
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#182150 - 01/29/09 07:53 AM
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 06/23/06
Posts: 3764
Loc: Netherlands, the Hague
(cute birdie)
Owl
They are almost identical, though one bigger that the other.(down from infraclass they differ)
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#182151 - 01/29/09 08:17 AM
Pooh-Bah
Registered: 08/13/05
Posts: 2476
Loc: R'lyeh
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#182164 - 01/29/09 04:50 PM
addict
Registered: 12/18/06
Posts: 665
Loc: Auckland, New Zealand
You mean 'Whippoorwill' and 'morepork' are onomatopoeic?
I'm not sure if 'Mopoke' is, unless its got an Ozzie accentOriginally Posted By: FaldageSome of them are non-rhotic and some aren't.
hehehe
Originally Posted By: The PookActually I heard an American today on the radio pronounce 'environmental' non-rhotically.
I can picture Gallant Ted saying 'Envieamint' He'da spelt it better fer sure.
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#182189 - 01/30/09 05:39 AM
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 06/23/06
Posts: 3764
Loc: Netherlands, the Hague
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