CHINCHILLA
Wild Word Friday!
The word CHINCHILLA refers, of course, to a little rodent, about fifteen inches in length when full grown, which in the past was valued for its lovely pale-gray fur. CHINCHILLA also refers to cloth made for overcoats out of wool and cotton. This type of cloth has a tufted and napped surface and is very soft.
Word CHINCHILLA itself is from the Peruvian Quechuan word for strong – sinchi. Now when I think about a rodent, the first thing that doesn’t come to mind is strength, but Native peoples have a tendency to know their local animals well. It’s how those people survive, and to the Quechuan-speaking people these little rodents are strong, so I’ll take their word for it. (Pardon the pun!) Perhaps they are known for their strength because, despite their small size, they are able to jump up to six feet.
My experience with rodents has mostly been limited to my nieces’ pet rats and my daughter’s hamsters. Are you into pet rodents?
Blessings!
Sue
(Some information from Webster’s New World Dictionary of the American Language. Photo and some information from Wikipedia.)
We had a regular “gang” of field mice that visit us in the spring and fall, Carol. Neil finally figured that they were getting into the house from an outside door that leads into the crawlspace. He put stripping up to block all the cracks. Hooray! No more mice!
I’m not big on rodents… especially the ‘cute’ and tiny field mice that manage to find their way into our RV every spring! But at one time, as a more daring teenager, I had a white mouse as a pet. I don’t recall the appeal! He eventually escaped, hid in our fireplace’s supply of Prest-O logs and apparently munched enough of one to poison himself. 🙁