Edit:
Together they can make the combined-arms-gulls.
You have to go pretty far back (to proto-Celtic, it looks like) to find a linguistic ancestor for the word “gull” that doesn’t just mean “that specific bird.”
But in proto-Celtic, it looks like “weilanna” probably meant “wailer.” As in, “one who wails,” though we don’t know exactly what the suffix “-anna” means. A similar word in that language would’ve been “wailos,” which even though it sounds similar seems to have been unrelated to our modern term “wolf,” as it comes from a different proto-indo-european root.
Anyway, the word “gull” does refer to the sounds that it makes more than anything else. So in figuring out what a landgull, airgull, and firegull might be, we need to find something noisy. Or just something annoying, given the derisive connotation of “wail.”
Edit: This is, of course, assuming that we’re looking for different existing types of animals to be these creatures, rather than just (for instance) creating new, elemental forms of gulls; or “reskinning” seagulls with different elements; or inventing all-new animals to fill those roles.
I propose that cobras be referred to as firegulls. The hissing for the noise, and the venom spit into your eyes is “hot” (spicy).
Wailos or wailer is wolf, is that because they “wail” (howl?) Or is that just a coincidence?
It’s probably the result of a taboo. It’s why people say “bear” (the brown one) or “medved” (the honey knower) instead of “arth” or “ursus”.
I think a “landgull” would just be a pigeon
Nah, that’s an airgull. A landgull would be a chicken.
Nah, that’s a farmgull. A landfill would be an ostrich
No that’s where garbage goes, landgull would be a peacock
No, that’d be a fancygull. A landgull would be a rat.
No that would be a politigul. A landgull would be a gopher.
No, that’s a dirtgull. A landgull would be a kangaroo.
In light of the above, then, I hereby propose that squirrels get renamed to “treegulls.”
It’s all fun and games until the firegull nation attacks.
My brother and I discovered the new Gulliver…
If there are armadillos, where are the legadillos?
And what about the Dillos who don’t want to be armed?
unarmadillos?
Given how much cuter a goldfish is than a silverfish, whatever a bronzefish is must be a absolutely disgusting.
Stands to reason, yes. Maybe also navyadillos and airforcadillos.
Wrong.
Seagulls imply the existence of Rivergulls, Lakegulls, Mountiangulls, Desertgulls, Forestgulls, Plaingulls, Valleygulls, Hillgulls, etc.
Archipelagulls
No no no, you’re all wrong. It goes Agles, Beagles, Seagulls, Deegles, Eagles, etc. We’ve proven the existence of 3 of these species already, but the search continues for these other mysterious creatures the certainly must exist. In this TED Talk, I will…
also, spacegulls
Space gul
thank you.
Attention Bajoran workers…
I’ve seen many seagulls in my life.
But I’ve never seen any of the others.
And that’s terrifying. Stay vigilant.
I used to study animal management and there was a lecturer who wrote his uni thesis on “seagulls” and any time he heard someone call them seagulls he’d shout down the hallway “They’re herring gulls!”
A birdwatching friend of mine has decided that if he ever discovers a new species, he’s naming it “seagull” regardless of where he finds it or what it looks like just to piss off all the ornithologists.
Seagulls are not just herring gulls though. The term is used for any gulls people see near the sea. In the UK that’s herring, great black backed & and lesser black backed, black headed, common, and kittiwakes.
Reminds me of a John Hodgman bit - we have ice hockey, field hockey, and air hockey, implying the existence of fire hockey.
Long ago, the four gulls lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the fire gulls attacked…
Bay-gull. Bagel.
Bay-hull; loves explosions.
We have Baygulls. They are tasty with cream cheese.
Yeah until one of those airgulls comes and swipes it.
Heartgulls
“By your powers combined, I’m Captain Gull!”
I am Gull, and by this axe I rule!
