Auroch

[Elton Robb]

Discussion thread for Auroch (http://www.birthright.net/brwiki/index.php/Auroch). If you would like to add a comment, click the Post Reply button.

The aurochs or urus (Bos primigenius) is a very large, extinct type of cattle, originally prevalent in Europe. The animal's original scientific name, Bos primigenius, was meant as a Latin translation of the German term Auerochse or Urochs, which was (possibly incorrectly) interpreted as literally meaning "primeval ox" or "proto-ox". This scientific name is now considered invalid by ITIS, who classify aurochs under Bos taurus, the same species as domestic cattle. However, in 2003, the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature "conserved the usage of 17 specific names based on wild species, which are pre-dated by or contemporary with those based on domestic forms", confirming Bos primigenius for the Aurochs. Taxonomists who consider domesticated cattle a subspecies of the wild Aurochs should use B. primigenius taurus; the name B. taurus remains available for domestic cattle where it is considered to be a separate species.

The Aurochs, or wild ox, is the ancestor of all domestic cattle. There really isn't a dire form of the Aurochs. :)

[ryancaveney]

Perhaps it's because of my love for Glorantha's Orlanthi, but I really think the Rjurik ought to have Scottish Highland Cattle -- an excellent image can be seen at http://www.birchimages.co.uk/galleryimages/Highland%20cattle%20Scotland%202.JPG

[kgauck]

I added them as something special to hunt. The people who encountered the auroch didn't know its origins, and speculated. Speculations that they may just be a wild breed of cattle or that they may be a dire form of cattle seems reasonable.

[Elton Robb]

That's okay. The Adurian Aurochs must have gone extinct. I've only added a picture. :)

[ConjurerDragon]

kgauck schrieb:
> This post was generated by the Birthright.net message forum.
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> kgauck wrote:
> I added them as something special to hunt. The people who encountered the auroch didn`t know its origins, and speculated. Speculations that they may just be a wild breed of cattle or that they may be a dire form of cattle seems reasonable.
>
Something like a variant of the special boars that are mentioned in the
PS of Talinie which may only be hunted by the nobility, but for other
regions?

[Sorontar]

I love the photo link Ryan. Perhaps the tongue indicates that either Intelligence should be higher or the tongue is a "secret" weapon :^)

One of my edits was corrected as to the form of the word. According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurochs):


The word aurochs (IPA:/'aʊˌɹɑks/ or IPA:/'ɔˌɹɑks/) comes to English from German, where its normative spelling and declension today is Auerochs/Auerochse (sg), Auerochsen (gen), Auerochsen (pl). The declension in English varies, being either aurochs (sg), aurochs (pl) or aurochs (sg), aurochses (pl). The declension auroch (sg), aurochs (pl) is acknowledged by MWU, but it is merely a back-formation analogous to pea-from-pease that misinterprets the singular form's ending in the /s/ sound (being cognate to ox/Ochs(e)). The use in English of the plural form aurochsen is not acknowleged by AHD4 or MWU, but is very sensible, being directly parallel to the German plural and analogous (and cognate) to English ox (sg), oxen (pl).


Should we do likewise for our fantastical beast and change the page from "Auroch" to "Aurochs" and edit the article accordingly? I would say yes.

Sorontar, the linguist

[ryancaveney]

I love the photo link Ryan. Perhaps the tongue indicates that either Intelligence should be higher or the tongue is a "secret" weapon :^)

=) I searched for a while to find the one with the best spirit.


Should we do likewise for our fantastical beast and change the page from "Auroch" to "Aurochs" and edit the article accordingly? I would say yes.

I agree -- it should rhyme with ox.


Ryan