Yesterday’s visit to the Greifswalder Tierpark (zoo) repeatedly called to mind the helpful German Animal Names Flowchart that was doing the rounds on Facebook a while back. Among the Greifswald residents are many of the animals that the chart covers:
- ocean piglets (Meerschweinchen) = guinea pigs
- spike pigs (Stachelschweine) = porcupines
- water pigs (Wasserschwein) = cabybaras
- wash bears (Waschbären) = racoons
- threatening chickens (Truthühner) = turkeys
A number of their neighbors aren’t on the chart but could be, such as:
- South American nose bears (Südamerikanischer Nasenbären) = coatis, which are actually relatives of wash bears, even though their long snouts call to mind ant bears (Ameisenbären)
- swamp beavers (Sumpfbiber)= nutria
- little earth men (Erdmännchen) = meerkats
- prairie dogs (Präriehunde) = prairie dogs
OK, so maybe that last one doesn’t seem so silly to English-speakers . . .
We also saw many animals whose names don’t have quite as much entertainment value (e.g., Kängurus, a Dingo, and Alpakas). Even though they don’t have room for any big animals, like nose horns (Nashörner), it’s really a wonderful little zoo (in addition to being a fun place to amuse oneself with literal translations).