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#124109 03/01/04 01:09 AM
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>Opossum, also commonly known as possum; from the Virginia Algonquian aposoum, 'white beast'.

Ah, but I wasn't addressing the issue of what they are "commonly known as." I was addressing the issue of whether the American "possums" were the the only "real" possums. It seems that the only "real" possums are, in fact, the ones that are fully protected by law in Oz, and are a lethal nuisance here in Zild. Even the Algonquian original sticks a vowel in front of the "posoum" bit of the name, after all. The real possums up here in the South shouldn't be stigmatised becauase y'all have dropped an o from the real name of the faux possums, now, should they?


#124110 03/01/04 01:17 AM
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Title: Possum & Taters
Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients

1 young, fat possum
2 tb butter
8 sweet potatoes
1 tb sugar
1 salt

Instructions

First, catch a possum. This in itself is excellent entertainment on a
moonlit night. Skin the possum and remove the head and feet. Be
sure to wash it thoroughly. Freeze overnight, either outside or in a
refrigerator. When ready to cook, peel the potatoes and boil them
tender in lightly salted water along with the butter and sugar. At
the same time, stew the possum until tender in a tightly covered pan
with a little water. Arrange the taters around the possum, strip with
bacon, sprinkle with thyme or marjoram, or pepper, and brown in the
oven. Baste often with the drippings.

More recipes for possum can be found here:
http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-indexa/arc-1799.htm


#124111 03/01/04 01:21 AM
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That would be buttah

well, I yam what I yam...



formerly known as etaoin...
#124112 03/01/04 02:45 AM
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I've seen it spelled opossum, but I've never heard it pronounced that way. Since it's first recorded in early 17th century in American colonial promotional literature, I assume it's from a local Native American language. Later applied to the Oz marsupials when they'd been discovered. Their generic name is Didelphidae, probably something to do with Greek delphus 'womb'. Two wombs?

http://www.bartleby.com/61/74/O0097400.html



#124113 03/01/04 02:48 AM
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Not quite sure I understand you. White settlers in Oz took an already existing name (first used to name the Virginian beatie) to apply to the beasts they saw on arrival. How do Oz possums get prior "realness"?


#124114 03/01/04 02:52 AM
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at least to North Americans...

Strange the arriving Europeans didn't ask the Aborigines what to call the Oz possums?


#124115 03/01/04 02:54 AM
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>prior realness

Not prior. Faldage asserted that the only "real" possums are those in the Americas, yet, according the encyclopedia, that possum's "real" name is "o"possum. Thus the only marsupial whose "real" name is "possum" is the Ocker version.


#124116 03/01/04 03:03 AM
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didn't ask the Aborigines

yah. I figured they already knew what they called 'em down there.



formerly known as etaoin...
#124117 03/01/04 03:09 AM
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Dear jheem: there are marsupials with two vaginas and two
wombs. Some males have twin penises. Not to envy.

Remember the old joke about the sailor with old trousers with double fly?


#124118 03/01/04 05:03 AM
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I read in an anthro class once, that subincision as practised by some Aborigines results in a split penis in emulation of some of the marsupials downunder.


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