Same same but different_animal edition: guinea pig

[Laurena]

Hi, hi,

Animals have really funny different names according to languages (sometimes in the same language, too).
How do you call this one?

[SKrausser]

Here in Ecuador we say “cuy / cuycito” and it’s a very delicious dish for us…

[kthxbye]

Fun English fact: “Guinea Pigs” are neither from Guinea nor are they members of the pig family. No one is exactly sure how that name started or when. The most modern name in English is “a Cavy” or “Cavies”. This is derived from their scientific name “Cavia Porcellus”

[Megan]

Interesting @kthxbye!

[Claudia_Irkoboron]

The German word (“ocean pig”) is said to have been created because this animal came to Europe via the ocean…
(Might also explain similar “exotic” names in English, Spanish and French.)

[Nadesh]

In Switzerland we say: Meersäuli

so instead of “-schweinchen” it’s “-säuli” which comes from “Sau”
“Sau” is in SwissGerman “Schwein”

Best ,
Nadège