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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
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This weekend, I discovered a local source for fresh crawfish -- not frozen -- and made my world-famous Crawfish Etouffee. When reporting this culinary achievement on Monday, several of my co-workers said "You mean crayfish." I did not mean crayfish, altho I take them to be the same critters. Why are there two words for the same tasty little bugger? Is it a regionalism?
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Joined: Jun 2002
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,624 |
Dunno about a regionalism, but I've seen them called "crawfish", "crayfish" and "lobster", all meaning more or less the same animal. In NZ we call them "cray" - short for "crayfish", although we understand when people call them "lobster". "Crawfish" I understand but only from context. Maybe it's Washington State's contribution to the New English? 
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,210 |
we alwuz called 'em crawdads...
formerly known as etaoin...
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 32
newbie
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newbie
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 32 |
In Florida we call 'em crawdads or crayfish, but in Louisiana they just looked at me funny when I said anything but crawfish.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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It's bound to be regional. Shrimp etouffee is very good. But then we'd have to debate shrimp v. prawns. 
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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788 |
Haven't we done the prawn/shrimp distinction before?
In those parts of the world where the words are not used interchangeably, the distinction is drawn mainly by size. The trouble is that, in some parts of the world, the big ones are prawns and the little ones are shrimps, while, in other parts of the world, the big ones are shrimps and the little ones are prawns. This sounds like something Lewis Carroll might have contrived.
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866 |
Well - you've opened a tin of worms!! pun intendedIn Australia there are not only numerous types of crayfish, but also numerous names for them - even for the same type!! More on this later. To quote from the article in the link below, "Australia has one of the richest collections of freshwater crayfish in the world. All of our species belong to the family Parastacidae, which is found in Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar and South America.
Our freshwater crayfish range from the largest to some of the smallest in existence. The giant Tasmanian crayfish (Astacopis gouldii) grown to 6.3 kg [I make that to be almost 14lb!] and the Murray River crayfish (Euastacus armatus) grows to 2.7 kg [call it 6lb]. Back to names - here's those of which I am aware: - Crayfish, Cray - Western Australia (WA) - large, spiny saltwater species without claws - Lobster - New South Wales (NSW) - large spiny saltwater species without claws - Yabby, Freshwater Crayfish - NSW, WA & elsewhere - small freshwater species with claws - "Jilgie", "Coonack" (spelling?) - WA - small freshwater species with claws, often confused with yabbies - and, in many cases, often the same thing! Usually olive green. - Marron - WA - mid to large size freshwater species with claws. Distinctive black colour. - Redclaw - Queensland (QLD) - mid to large size freshwater species with distinctive red claws. Further info in the following link (a government aquaculture site): http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/aqu/fw/fw_crays.htmand here: http://www.amonline.net.au/factsheets/crayfish.htm (a museum site that highlights my incorrect spelling above. Sorry!) stales
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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opened a tin of worms
Now do we argue about whether it's a tin or a can?
pun totally not gotten, so forgiven.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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formerly known as etaoin...
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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