I Always Go By What I learned in School

[Paladin1950]

I will always use the word buffalo, not bison. Every time I watch the wild life shows on the Animal Planet Network or BBC America, and the narrator says the word "bison", I yell at the TV, "buffalo"! When I went to school, I learned that there were 9 planets in our solar system. I ignore what people say now about Pluto is not large enough to be a planet.

I go by the state abbreviations that I was taught in school, not by what the US Post office says. I use Cal or Calif, for California, not CA. Ariz for Arizona, not AZ. Mont for Montana, not MT. And so on. Why? I really don't know. I have always been stubborn about things like that.

The same goes for weights and measures. When I hear words on American television like grams or centimeters, I complain. When I look at a bottle, I ignore the liter info, and look for ounces, pints, or quart. With weight of course it is pounds (lbs), not stone or other non American terms.

There, I got that off my chest this Monday morning. Hey, I do feel much better!

 

[fuzzybuddy]

I always wonder why the word "buffalo" was looked down upon, and "bison", which few use, is the "accepted" name. I started school 70 years ago, ya gotta admit things change in that amount of time. As far as weights and measures, the US is a holdout on the metric system. That may be quaint, but there are constant errors in using two systems. It's provincial not to adopt the world's scientific standards.

 

[Nemo2]

I will always use the word buffalo, not bison. Every time I watch the wild life shows on the Animal Planet Network or BBC America, and the narrator says the word "bison", I yell at the TV, "buffalo"!

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/its-bison-not-buffalo-and-other-american-bison-facts

"Though the terms are often used interchangeably, buffalo and bison are distinct animals. Old World “true” buffalo (Cape buffalo and water buffalo) are native to Africa and Asia. Bison are found in North America and Europe.

Both bison and buffalo are in the bovidae family, but the two are not closely related."

https://www.britannica.com/story/whats-the-difference-between-buffalo-and-bison

"Contrary to the song “Home on the Range,” buffalo do not roam in the American West. Instead, they are indigenous to South Asia (water buffalo) and Africa (Cape buffalo), while bison are found in North America and parts of Europe. Despite being a misnomer—one often attributed to confused explorers—buffalo remains commonly used when referring to American bison, thus adding to the confusion."

 

[horseless carriage]

I always wonder why the word "buffalo" was looked down upon, and "bison", which few use, is the "accepted" name. I started school 70 years ago, ya gotta admit things change in that amount of time. As far as weights and measures, the US is a holdout on the metric system. That may be quaint, but there are constant errors in using two systems. It's provincial not to adopt the world's scientific standards.

Metrication, the process of introducing the metric system of measurement in place of imperial units, has made steady progress in the United Kingdom since the mid-20th century but today remains equivocal and varies by context. Most of government, industry and commerce use metric units, but imperial units are officially used to specify journey distances (miles,) vehicle speeds (mph) and the sizes of returnable milk containers, beer and cider glasses, and fresh milk is often still sold in multiples of pints, with the metric equivalent also marked. Imperial units are also often used to describe body measurements (Lbs or pounds) and vehicle fuel economy (mpg.)

Metric leaves me cold, ask me if I want a kilo of something and I have to do a mental calculation, let me think now, two point two pounds to the kilo, take away the first number that I thought of. Gabriel Mouton, a church vicar in Lyons, France, is considered by many to be the founding father of the metric system. In 1670, Mouton proposed a decimal system of measurement that French scientists would spend years further refining and it was Napoleon Bonaparte who contributed greatly to the creation of the metric system. He had a fixation on the multiples of ten, he even thought about, ten days in a week, ten weeks in a month and ten months in a year.

As far as I am concerned I am a fraction short of six feet tall, weigh 185 pounds, (13-3 in stones and pounds,) and I plan to be buried six feet under.

 

[RadishRose]

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/news/its-bison-not-buffalo-and-other-american-bison-facts

"Though the terms are often used interchangeably, buffalo and bison are distinct animals. Old World “true” buffalo (Cape buffalo and water buffalo) are native to Africa and Asia. Bison are found in North America and Europe.

Both bison and buffalo are in the bovidae family, but the two are not closely related."

https://www.britannica.com/story/whats-the-difference-between-buffalo-and-bison

"Contrary to the song “Home on the Range,” buffalo do not roam in the American West. Instead, they are indigenous to South Asia (water buffalo) and Africa (Cape buffalo), while bison are found in North America and parts of Europe. Despite being a misnomer—one often attributed to confused explorers—buffalo remains commonly used when referring to American bison, thus adding to the confusion."

Tell that to Buffalo Bob's descendants.

 

[spectratg]

Tell that to Buffalo Bob's descendants.

Buffalo Bob Smith (1917-1998) was the host of the children's show Howdy Doody (1947-1960). He was the father of 3 sons. Buffalo Bill Cody (1846-1917) was a Pony Express rider, American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. He had 4 children.

 

[Nemo2]

Tell that to Buffalo Bob's descendants.

Mike should've used the name Bison Tyson.

 

[CallMeKate]

"Though the terms are often used interchangeably, buffalo and bison are distinct animals. Old World “true” buffalo (Cape buffalo and water buffalo) are native to Africa and Asia. Bison are found in North America and Europe.

They certainly are different... and I'll never forget the scolding I got in 4th or 5th grade when I used the wrong one in homework. It's like well exCUSE me! But I haven't forgotten again.

 

[CallMeKate]

The same goes for weights and measures. When I hear words on American television like grams or centimeters, I complain. When I look at a bottle, I ignore the liter info, and look for ounces, pints, or quart. With weight of course it is pounds (lbs), not stone or other non American terms.

I agree about the measurements... but I do the two-letter state abbreviation and I'm very glad that was changed.