Falconry & Language

It's quite surprising & interesting how much of our present day language originates from the world of Falconry ..

For example .. If you want to motivate someone, you might say .. "C'mon, shake your feathers" .. this comes from the "Rouse" an act performed by all Birds of Prey immediately prior to take-off, ensuring that all the feathers are perfectly aligned before flight .. which might mean the difference between catching a meal & going hungry ..

Or in Medieval times Falcons or Hawks were often carried on a pole shaped like an elongated letter "T" (the Birds perching on the cross-piece at the top) .. this was called a "Cadge" & the retainer deputed to carry it was known as a "Cadger" .. or was said to be "On the cadge" .. if he was elderly he might have been called the "Old cadger" .. which with time became corrupted to "Codger" ..

And finally when a BoP has made a kill it will "Mantle" or cover the prey item with its wings, to prevent theft by a rival .. Man put a "Mantlepiece" over the fire to protect it in a similar way .. quite important when it was your only source of warmth & cooking ..

If you know of any other examples .. I'd love to hear them ..

Bye for now ..

Kev ..

[Steven Gourlay]

Very interesting would never have thought of that Kev. Cadger to me is someone that drives a car in my biker terminology.

[Kev_B]

Never heard that description of us Motorists before Steve ...

Bikes & I don't get on .. a pal of mine who is an advanced & highly trained/experienced Biker took me into Central London once on the back of his BMW .. putting it into spaces between "Artics", where I wouldn't have tried to get a Rizzla paper ...

I went home on the Tube ....

I much prefer the protection of my "Disco" or mobile "Hide" around me ...

Bye for now ..

Kev ..

[Steven Gourlay]

Don't think i could ever give up the bike, i understand what you are saying being a passanger is totally different to being in control.