[Jingospice]

I was researching the Canadian Jay (or Gray Jay) for an ethology class and discovered that another name for the bird is the Whiskey Jack. I was obviously astounded that the name had a legitimate origin in the real world, and with SE being Canadian I figured it was not an accident. I looked into the origin of the name and apparently it is an Algonquin word (Wisakedjak) that has been anglicized so that it can be pronounced more easily. Apparently, Wisakedjak is portrayed as an Algonquin trickster god who was responsible for destroying the earth in a flood, and recreated the current world with magic.
I just thought I'd post this for those who (like me) didn't get the Whiskeyjack reference and thought that it was an extremely random (though admittedly badass) name.

[Puck]

What's with people randomly posting threads in the New Members section lately?

It's a good info for those who haven't figured it out yet, but I don't think this belongs here. Can someone move it?



MODGOD NOTICE OF THREAD RELOCATION TO GOTM FORUM. WITH STYLE.

This post has been edited by Abyss: 15 March 2011 - 02:51 PM

[nacht]

Jingospice, on 14 March 2011 - 08:38 PM, said:

I was researching the Canadian Jay (or Gray Jay) for an ethology class and discovered that another name for the bird is the Whiskey Jack. I was obviously astounded that the name had a legitimate origin in the real world, and with SE being Canadian I figured it was not an accident. I looked into the origin of the name and apparently it is an Algonquin word (Wisakedjak) that has been anglicized so that it can be pronounced more easily. Apparently, Wisakedjak is portrayed as an Algonquin trickster god who was responsible for destroying the earth in a flood, and recreated the current world with magic.
I just thought I'd post this for those who (like me) didn't get the Whiskeyjack reference and thought that it was an extremely random (though admittedly badass) name.

I always thought that he named it after Jack Daniels Whiskey, but your explanation makes more sense :-)

[nacht]

Jingospice, on 14 March 2011 - 08:38 PM, said:

I was researching the Canadian Jay (or Gray Jay) for an ethology class and discovered that another name for the bird is the Whiskey Jack. I was obviously astounded that the name had a legitimate origin in the real world, and with SE being Canadian I figured it was not an accident. I looked into the origin of the name and apparently it is an Algonquin word (Wisakedjak) that has been anglicized so that it can be pronounced more easily. Apparently, Wisakedjak is portrayed as an Algonquin trickster god who was responsible for destroying the earth in a flood, and recreated the current world with magic.
I just thought I'd post this for those who (like me) didn't get the Whiskeyjack reference and thought that it was an extremely random (though admittedly badass) name.

I always thought that he named it after Jack Daniels Whiskey, but your explanation makes more sense :-)

[miriya]

Jingospice, on 14 March 2011 - 08:38 PM, said:

I was researching the Canadian Jay (or Gray Jay) for an ethology class and discovered that another name for the bird is the Whiskey Jack. I was obviously astounded that the name had a legitimate origin in the real world, and with SE being Canadian I figured it was not an accident. I looked into the origin of the name and apparently it is an Algonquin word (Wisakedjak) that has been anglicized so that it can be pronounced more easily. Apparently, Wisakedjak is portrayed as an Algonquin trickster god who was responsible for destroying the earth in a flood, and recreated the current world with magic.
I just thought I'd post this for those who (like me) didn't get the Whiskeyjack reference and thought that it was an extremely random (though admittedly badass) name.

I read Neil Gaiman's American Gods not so long before MBotF (which served as both an awesome novel and a way to brush up on all those deities both mainstream and folk you'd heard about and forgotten), so the first I read read his name I kept trying to make the trickster god reference. The 'bird that steals' name given by the tribal folks that meet up with Karsa makes much more sense with the Canadian Jay thing, which I admit I didn't realize until I got to this forum.

SE is obviously clever in many ways.

[caladanbrood]

miriya, on 15 March 2011 - 04:01 PM, said:

I read Neil Gaiman's American Gods not so long before MBotF (which served as both an awesome novel and a way to brush up on all those deities both mainstream and folk you'd heard about and forgotten), so the first I read read his name I kept trying to make the trickster god reference.

Yeah. I read American Gods a couple of years after starting the series (2003 was my Year of Gaiman ) but that was the first place I realised the name wasn't just made up from scratch.

[Abyss]

i googled it shortly after i started GotM for the first time and found the bird ref.

[The Tyrant Lizard]

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This post has been edited by Abyss: 16 March 2011 - 05:31 PM

[MoK3]

Methinks you should read on my friend...I guess being from northern B.C Canada i take it for granted that everyone knows what a Whiskey Jack is. Haha that name suits him perfectly

[Osserc - Lord of the Sky]

A Whiskeyjack is a type of Finch in North America. Quite nimble and quick