# Proper nomenclature-semi rant warning



## elchivito (Apr 18, 2010)

Maybe it's because I'm a retired teacher and a stickler for language. Maybe it's a regional thing I'm unaware of and need to be enlightened, but "nanny" and "billy" really bug me. They're either does, bucks, wethers (not "whethers" and not "weathers") or doelings and bucklings. I know it's no big deal, but sometimes stuff just bugs you, you know?


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I totally agree. I do understand it when it is from people that live in the city and do not get a chance to live the wonderful country life, but when it is people that OWN goats? It does get under my skin.

The other thing is when people say they are Pygmy breeders and they spell it PIGMY. REALLY and your a BREEDER. I would not buy anything from them.


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

Oh, wow, we are going to make some people really upset with this thread...
I have a master's degree in Literature and Language, and I teach English at the local, combined elementary and middle school (eighth grade - yes, I'm a brave soul). Although I love my home, I live in an area where the local children have been taught that grammar is unimportant. There was even a professor at the local teachers' college who stated that teaching grammar was an "insult" to the local population's "cultural heritage." :roll: So, I understand "uphill battles" in the grammar war. We, as a nation, have begun rely on "spell check" instead of the dictionary for our "editing" process and totally miss the homophones (like weather, whether, and wether or it's and its). Not only that, but many people are taught by their parents that, as long as they can communicate, correct correspondence isn't necessary. It's a nation-wide problem that would drive you crazy if you allowed it to do so. (Have you checked out any local signs lately? We had one here that read "Race Cancled." Man, I hate those Cancled races, don't you???)  You can't really let it get to you, though, or you'd be :hair: all the time. I would, of course, not buy from someone who cannot even get the spelling of their own breed correct. That said, though, I tend to simply dismiss minor errors when just browsing the net.

(BTW - If anyone wants me to edit the grammar on their website before publishing it, PM me. I'd be glad to check it over). :wink: 

-Tina


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

I agree... I won't even look at an add thats advertising their animal as a nanny or billy. I can't it irks me too much. I try not to be bothered by "whether" and "weather" especially from newbies..... seasoned breeders however would make me giggle if they typed that.  

My personal pet peeve is the people who don't even KNOW the breed they have and list it as another.... Ive seen Fainters, Nigies, even some mini nubians listed as Pygmy's (although yes, those are usually listed as "Pigmy's") That just BUGS me.... I guess it just makes me think if they haven't done any research on goats then they must not be caring for them properly. I mean just google "proper goat care" and you will come up with tons of breed info as well. I do understand that their are plenty of mixed breed goats out there... but they need to be listed as mixed mini breed goats...... OK.... done with my rant now!LOL


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

the one that bugs me is BOAR? those are pigs not Boer goats.


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## CrossCreekTX (Aug 10, 2009)

LOL, my neighbor (has goats but don't get me started on that) calls them all "billies", males, females, babies, adults, they're all "billies".


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## elchivito (Apr 18, 2010)

Tina,
I don't mean to offend anybody, but it sure seems like folks could learn the correct spelling and terminology for their animals. I have it on good authority that if you call up ADGA and refer to an animal you want to register as a nanny you'll get an earful. 
I taught 6-8th grade for 31 years. I'm very familiar with "that's the way people talk around here". It's no excuse and any educator who'd allow it under some "cultural heritage" crapola is just giving up and making excuses. Vernacular language is colorful and interesting and there certainly is a place for it. What's sad is when it's the only language people have. As educators it's not our goal to eradicate local speech, but to teach standard language and impress upon students when one is preferable over the other. 
I've got a wether who stays outside whether the weather is good or bad. Whether my wether will weather the weather remains to be seen


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Uhhgg, I know...nanny and billy are two words I just get irked about. Boar and Pigmy are way annoying too. It is frustrating to see the "Pigmy and Boar" breeders advertising with the names spelt wrong! You would think if you are a breeder that you would have done a little research on the breed and realized that you've been spelling the name wrong.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Please.... we have to remember.... that sometimes people with goats ....are still at the learning point... and we... :grouphug: have all been there.... :chin: and in fact.... still learning...  ....Remember... Billy goats and nannies... do mean... what it is ....they are ..."goats"... male and female.....I have a friend as a matter of fact....that has a Commercial brush goats.... that calls his goats.... nannies and billies...it does not bother me.... as I know... what he is talking about.... :wink: ...myself........ I prefer buck and doe ...but we have to respect the other meanings....Of course... I do know... that the spelling of "Boar" is a pig and "Boer" is the correct spelling and meaning to a boer goat...... For people... that don't know.... how to spell Boer..... or when you say...I have boer goats...they sometimes ... assume that ....you are talking about a pig...... I snicker ...and say no...in a nice way...it is boer...B.O.E.R goats and spell it to them........ I at that time....am teaching them... :thumb: Everyone has to start somewhere and "the goat spot".. is why ....some new goats breeders are coming here... to learn the right terminology.... or about them....it doesn't matter... where you may see the oops... meanings... spellings....even if ...it is here on the goat spot or in a newspaper ad..........they just may be starting out and if ....they are taking proper care of the goats..... then... I see... no problem with that .... if they truly don't know ..we really can't jump to conclusions.....I also sometimes find ...my spelling is wrong... on some things ... it is just typo errors.....................we have had some new learners..... just recently in fact.... just join and spelled "Boar" but hey.....we are the teachers...and we shouldn't make fun or get frustrated with that.........."Teach"......as we are here to teach.... if they are willing to learn...... :grouphug:


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

Elchivito,
You are absolutely correct. I believe that it is all a part of the reduction of standards in the education system, as a whole. Now, we are seeing the results of those changes throughout the general populace. The professor who made that absurd statement just won several awards for her teaching strategies (mostly technology-based). Meanwhile, I am castigated in parent meetings because my class is "too hard." Sometimes, I wonder if we're caught up somewhere between Ayn Rand and Joseph Heller, if you get my meaning. 

-Tina


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yeah I know someone who calls them billies & nannies too but it's part of their personality not cause they dont "know better".
As for typos mispelling & grammar, guilty as charged. Especially when it's an emergency.
An et othur times ah jest dont give a pile of billie berries. :wink:


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## Lawanda (Jun 11, 2009)

It doesn't bother me, but maybe its because pretty much everyone calls them billies and nannies here, except for the rare person (me! lol)

I believe those words were the more common reference, even among breeders, in older times.


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## elchivito (Apr 18, 2010)

Typos and grammar don't bother me much on a message board either, although I'll try to avoid them whenever I can, but misspelled breed names and incorrect nomenclature do. I've been pedant enough for one day. My apologies!


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## crowe (Dec 14, 2009)

WOW !!!


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

No apologies needed Elchevito! It's your area of expertise. In many forums it's the pros who point out spelling & grammer, etc :wink: 
But we all need to know how to spell our own breed.



elchivito said:


> I've got a wether who stays outside whether the weather is good or bad. Whether my wether will weather the weather remains to be seen


 :ROFL:


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## goinggoaty (May 19, 2010)

I think that its acceptable to be bothered by certain things but as a very new goat owner I think it is kind of insulting that just because I might not know the right terminology for all things goat related I would be looked at as uneducated or that I'm incapable of caring for my animals correctly it takes time to learn things and I seriously doubt that when you guys got your first goats you knew all the ins and outs why else would there be a website such as this if not to help those who don't know EVERYTHING I'm sorry if that seems rude but I myself have probably misspelled wether a time or two and I am not an uneducated person nor am I illiterate I might not have any degrees or letters behind my name but I was sure this website was founded on helping those who need it and seek advice from those who have been in the goat world longer and can give them the guidance they need............Was I mistaken in this????


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> I think that its acceptable to be bothered by certain things but as a very new goat owner I think it is kind of insulting that just because I might not know the right terminology for all things goat related I would be looked at as uneducated or that I'm incapable of caring for my animals correctly it takes time to learn things and I seriously doubt that when you guys got your first goats you knew all the ins and outs why else would there be a website such as this if not to help those who don't know EVERYTHING I'm sorry if that seems rude but I myself have probably misspelled wether a time or two and I am not an uneducated person nor am I illiterate I might not have any degrees or letters behind my name but I was sure this website was founded on helping those who need it and seek advice from those who have been in the goat world longer and can give them the guidance they need............Was I mistaken in this????


goinggoaty.... As a moderator... I do agree completely with you... :hug: we all... were ...as you would say ....uneducated in the respect of learning the goat world.......you are very correct in saying.... that we are here to teach .....and I am wanting and willing to do so...I do not poke fun or get angry... if anyone misspells or doesn't know...............in fact........I am still.....learning something new....I along time ago... misspelled goaty stuff when first starting out.......until I was told the right way....so.... I am with you .... :thumbup: ..and .... it does take quite a while.... to learn everything about goats...still learning here..LOL :wink: ...... I also whole heart-idly agree... that TGS is here to help new goat owners.......
Some Members here ....need to respect that ...for those of you... who are here to learn .... :hug: 
I am really sorry... as well as.... a big majority of us here... on the goat spot.... if you have a question...no matter what it may be....please ask...and don't be afraid to post it... :grouphug: 
When I started out learning... I wish I was lucky enough... to have a goat forum such as this.... to help me learn...I learned from trial and error ...the hard way....so.... to all the newbies..... please... don't feel ...that all of us shun away... by a simple goat terminology error ect...we are here for all of you...... :thumb: :grouphug:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

my 2cents? pet peeves are best left unmentioned. Because usually it ends up hurting someone by mentioning them. If the issue is not life threatening why say something at all? 

Just saying...


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Goinggoatie you are so right on!! As far as I know, this site was formed to help everyone at whatever stages. Without fear of getting corrected in the small stuff...."Keep it Friendly Keep it Fun" seems to be a great motto, without compromising the important stuff, namely the care of our goats.
You know, for the first few yrs I was pronouncing probious as "PRO bee ous" not proBIous I learn something new all the time.

At times I believe we should keep some persnal opinions to ourselves. What matters is building others up.

Pam & Stacey you gotto it before I did :wink:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Goinggoatie you are so right on!! As far as I know, this site was formed to help everyone at whatever stages. Without fear of getting corrected in the small stuff...."Keep it Friendly Keep it Fun" seems to be a great motto, without compromising the important stuff, namely the care of our goats.
> You know, for the first few yrs I was pronouncing probious as "PRO bee ous" not proBIous I learn something new all the time.
> 
> At times I believe we should keep some persnal opinions to ourselves. What matters is building others up.
> ...


 Thanks Nancy D ...now your right on.. :thumb: :greengrin: ....See.... we are "ALL" a team....the way it should be....From our Administrator ...our moderators... to our wonderful members..new or pro... :wink: who do care ..... :grouphug: Team work is what is all about.... :hi5: :grouphug: :grouphug:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I agree...we all started somewhere and regardless of vocabulary, I think we all can agree that we "mean the same thing" when weathers, utters, billies,nannies, even t*ts are brought into a conversation, we learn by seeing and hearing the proper words and yep, I myself even refer to my boys as billies at times. 
We all have opinions but sometimes it takes an open heart to realize when they should be voiced and when they shouldn't. I have opinions as well and there are times I need to step away from the keyboard so I don't upset anyone unintentionally. We are all learning here, some know more than others and it's the expertice of experienced goat owners that help keep our goaties happy as well as the new things "newbies" suggest...regardless of spelling or vocabulary.


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