Hi Grant and Martha,
I was interested in the slang term brought up in your Sept 22nd show. (I listen on podcast since I don't believe your show is available in the Orlando area so I just heard this program today.) As I was listening so Grants explanation of the term "pigeon pair". something he said clicked and suddenly made sense. Grant explained that a pigeon pair was a set of fraternal twin or two siblings that were the only children that a couple of parents had. Most species of pigeons and doves only lay two eggs and cosequently only have two squabs (chicks) in each clutch (a nesting attempt). (However, the larger species and species of pigeons from island normally have one egg per clutch.) The common domestic/feral species of pigeon Columba livia is the one that most people are familiar with has two chicks per clutch. So, it would make sense that two siblings in a family would be a direct analogy to a clutch of squabs in a pigeon nest. What do you think?
Love your show and what I learn about words.
Sincerely
James
Good guess, James! Here's what the Oxford English Dictionary says about the etymology:" so called from a pigeon's brood which usually consists of two chicks, at one time commonly believed to be one male and one female and to mate together for life."
HI Martha,
Thanks for confirming it for me. This is what is so fun about words and great about your show. The reason that I knew this was I am an ornithologist who loves words. Especially the Latin names of animals that are so descriptive. I am sure that you have a great appreciation for them since you are a scholar of Greek.
Thanks again
James
Oh, yes, James! Sooooooo many great bird words! (And birds captured inside of familiar words, too, like "merlot.")