Discussion Forum (Archived)
Guest
There is something that drives me nuts when people do it, and when I correct them, I get argued down.
baby kitten
baby puppy
baby chick
baby lamb
baby calf
baby foal
baby duckling
Is it ever correct to put "baby" in front of an animal that by definition is already a baby? I mean, isn't "baby kitten" the same as saying "baby baby cat"? As I said, when I've tried to correct this in the past (I just grit my teeth now and think it REALLY loud in my head), I've been ARGUED DOWN that "baby <baby animal>" just implies that the already-a-baby animal is REALLY young/tiny.
So...is it?
I think it depends on the animal. I would use "kitten" and "puppy" to refer to animals that are still immature, but no longer strictly infants, and in such cases the form "baby kitten" clarifies that this is a very young kitten rather that simply one that has yet to reach adulthood.
It gets more confusing in cases like "baby bunny". Some people use "bunny" to refer to any rabbit in general; others only the infants. If someone from the first group says "baby bunny", does it grate on the nerves of someone in the second group for whom the phrase is redundant?
(Let's not even get into all the terms for young pigs of various ages: runt, sucker, piglet, shoat.)
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Grant Barrett
1 Guest(s)