The Curious Case of the Turkey: Bird or Country?

Phillip M. Carter has disclosed no relevant affiliations other than their academic appointment, and they do not work for, consult for, own shares in, or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article.

Is Turkey’s recent spelling change about being more authentically Turkish? Or is there more to the story?

In response to a request from the administration of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the United Nations decided in June 2022 to rename the nation known as Turkey to Türkiye. In January 2023, the U. S. State Department also agreed to adopt the requested change in its written communications.

Many news sources have claimed that Turkey has changed its name, but this is untrue—Turks have called their nation Türkiye ever since it emerged as the Ottoman Empire’s successor state in 1923. The transformation is more akin to what would occur if the nation known in English as Germany requested that the rest of the world refer to it as Deutschland, as the Germans say, rather than Rhodesia becoming Zimbabwe in 1980.

But Erdogan’s request – and the U. N. ’s decision to follow suit – does raise the question of why countries seek to change their names.

Have you ever wondered why the bird we gobble up on Thanksgiving shares the same name as a country across the globe? It’s a question that has puzzled many, and the answer, like the bird itself, is a bit of a wild ride. Buckle up, because we’re about to embark on a journey through history, etymology, and a whole lot of fowl facts.

The Bird: A North American Native

Contrary to what you might think the turkey we know and (sometimes) love isn’t actually from Turkey. This majestic bird with its impressive wattle and iridescent plumage, hails from the heart of North America. For over 20 million years, wild turkeys have roamed the forests and fields of the continent, long before the first settlers set foot on its shores.

The Country: A Land of Turks

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, lies the country of Turkey, a land steeped in history and culture Its name, derived from the word “Turk,” has been used since the 1300s to refer to the region inhabited by the Turkic people. Following the fall of the Ottoman Empire, the Republic of Turkey was established, solidifying the name for this vibrant nation.

The Guinea Fowl: The Missing Link

So, how did these two seemingly unrelated entities end up sharing the same name? Enter the guinea fowl, a bird native to Africa. This feathered friend, with its speckled plumage and distinctive call, was imported to Europe through the Ottoman Empire. Europeans, unfamiliar with the guinea fowl, mistakenly called it the “turkey-cock” or “turkey-hen” due to its resemblance to another bird they knew – the North American turkey.

The Naming Game: A Global Affair

When European settlers arrived in the New World and encountered the actual turkey, they, out of habit, called it a “turkey” as well. This name stuck, even though other languages have wildly different names for the bird In French, it’s the “dinde” (rooster of India), in Portuguese, it’s the “peru bird,” and in Malay, it’s the “Dutch chicken” Talk about a global naming game!

Thanksgiving Tradition: A Bird Takes Center Stage

By the 16th century, the turkey had become a popular Christmas dinner in England, even getting a shoutout from Shakespeare himself. Fast forward to 1863, when President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, and the turkey had become firmly established as the centerpiece of the festive feast.

A Thanksgiving Toast: To Guinea Fowls and Global Connections

So, the next time you’re enjoying a Thanksgiving turkey, remember the guinea fowl, the bird that inadvertently gave the North American turkey its name. It’s a reminder that even in the world of food, connections can be made across continents and cultures, creating a tapestry of history and tradition.

Why is a turkey called a turkey?

FAQ

Why is Turkey country called Turkey?

The English name Turkey (from Medieval Latin Turchia,Turquia) means “land of the Turks”. Middle English usage of Turkye is evidenced in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Book of the Duchess ( c. 1369).

What did Native Americans call turkeys?

Here is the word for turkey in the languages of several eastern tribes: Powhatan (Virginia): monanow ; Delaware: tshikenum ; Algonkian (Long Island): nahiam ; Narragansett (southern New England): nahenan ; Natick and Wampanoag (Massachusetts): neyhom ; Abnaki (Maine): nahame ; Iroquois (upper New York): netachrochwa …

Why do we have Turkey on Thanksgiving?

The turkey comes in because the big birds were plentiful in New England, often distributed to soldiers in the Army. By the end of the century, Smith writes, the typical Thanksgiving meal had a turkey at the center of the feast due to the bird’s low price.

Did turkeys exist in Utah before white settlers appeared?

When European settlers arrived in Utah, the turkey species had already been hunted out of the area; however, historical records indicate that they did co-exist with Native Americans. Until the 1950s, transplants of turkeys back into Utah were not successful.

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