🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <6ket72dblga3cus6s3f4vdqtn6b2t4oo6b@4ax.com>, Torsten Brinch <iaotb@inet.uni2.dk> wrote:
>On Wed, 31 May 2006 11:31:05 GMT, ppnerkDELETETHIS@yahoo.com (Phred)
>wrote:
>
>>G'day mates,
>>
>>A question arose today about pigeon pea (still _Cajanus cajan_ to 
>>me; but the taxonomists say it's now in _Atylosia_).
>>
>>It was quite a simple question:  "Why is pigeon pea called pigeon 
>>pea?"  [AKA "pigeonpea".]
>>
>>I have to say, I'm damned if I know why!  It's been pigeon pea to me 
>>since I first met it 40 years ago, and I've never wondered why.
>>
>>According to <http://www.thefreedictionary.com/pigeon+pea> it's simply 
>>"From the use of its seeds as pigeon feed."
>>
>>While that may well be true, it almost sounds *too* simplistic.  After 
>>all, the main use is for human food (red gram, toor dal, etc.) 
>>especially in India.
>>
>>So where and why has it become associated with bloody pigeons?
>
>I have no idea. Pass.
>
>>(An analogous question arises for "chickpea".)
>
>'Chick-pea' comes from French 'pois chiche'. It was originally
>imported into English as the singular form 'chich-pease', 
>but the pommie ear naturally came to hear such a construction as 
>a  plural form, so from it was synthesised  the singular form
>chich-pea. In the origin the French name 'pois chiche' has nothing 
>to do with chicken. 'Chiche' is  from Latin 'cicer', which means ...
>pea :-)

Thanks for that, Torsten.  I wonder if, in years to come, we could 
have the progression: pea pea --> pee pee --> wee wee?  ;-)

Cheers, Phred.

-- 
ppnerkDELETE@THISyahoo.com.INVALID