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#182132 01/28/09 09:31 PM
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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

olly #182135 01/28/09 09:50 PM
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We have them all over around here, in the country. They are not city birds. And I hear them regularly, but live to tell you so... ;0)

olly #182136 01/28/09 11:06 PM
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Originally Posted By: olly
said to be a harbinger of death much like the Local Ruru or Morepork

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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And I assumed Pratchett made it up!

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Originally Posted By: The Pook
[quote=olly]
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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Originally Posted By: Faldage
Originally Posted By: The Pook
[quote=olly]
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.

laugh

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.'

olly #182150 01/29/09 12:53 PM
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Before I had looked at the link I thought about how overhere owls are said to be the harbingers of death. When I looked at the bird it seemed like a very small owl to me and checked it.
(cute birdie)
Owl
They are almost identical, though one bigger that the other.(down from infraclass they differ)

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Might be from the South or the Northeast (link).


Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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olly Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: The Pook
They are also called mopokes. Both names are onomatopoeic of their mournful call.

You mean 'Whippoorwill' and 'morepork' are onomatopoeic?
I'm not sure if 'Mopoke' is, unless its got an Ozzie accent wink

Originally Posted By: Faldage
Some of them are non-rhotic and some aren't.

hehehe

Originally Posted By: The Pook
Actually 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.

olly #182189 01/30/09 10:39 AM
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Salute to Gallant Ted. May he fly like a mopoke and dance like a bear.

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