WHERE DID THE WILD TURKEY GET ITS NAME? DID IT COME FROM THE COUNTRY OF TURKEY?
: The word “turkey” was in use well before North America and the wild turkey were discovered by Europeans. As early as the 14th century, peafowl (Pavo sp.) were called “turkey-cocks”. Later, during the 17th century, guinea fowl were also called “turkey”, as was the grouse-like capercallie (Tetrao urogallus) of Scotland. Although the wild turkey, as a species, had nothing to do with the country of Turkey, it is certain that the word “turkey” derives from that land. In the Middle Ages and thereafter, “Turkey”, in the broad sense, was a source of all things exotic– spices, dyes, rare linens, and strange animals. Thus, peafowl and similar birds were called “turkeys” (even though they were not from Turkey itself) since they were associated with the Orient. This idea persisted long after it was known that the wild turkey itself came from Mexico.
The word “turkey” was in use well before North America and the wild turkey were discovered by Europeans. As early as the 14th century, peafowl (Pavo sp.) were called “turkey-cocks”. Later, during the 17th century, guinea fowl were also called “turkey”, as was the grouse-like capercallie (Tetrao urogallus) of Scotland. Although the wild turkey, as a species, had nothing to do with the country of Turkey, it is certain that the word “turkey” derives from that land. In the Middle Ages and thereafter, “Turkey”, in the broad sense, was a source of all things exotic– spices, dyes, rare linens, and strange animals. Thus, peafowl and similar birds were called “turkeys” (even though they were not from Turkey itself) since they were associated with the Orient. This idea persisted long after it was known that the wild turkey itself came from Mexico. It has also been suggested that “turkey” arose from the “turk, turk, turk” call of the bird, or that the name arose from the Hebrew words “tukki” or
