In article ,
Phil L wrote:
Dave wrote:
Mary Fisher wrote:


There are collar doves, blackbirds, tits (coal and blue) and
sparrows in there and possibly others.

Mary, can you tell me how the tit family got its name?
I tried a google for an answer and got the obvious mammary return.

Dave

p.s. This is a valid question raised in the real ale pub that I have
to attend every day :-)

Tit is an old Germanic word for "small" and is used in various northern
European languages to refer to small objects, animals, or people, especially
girlsfor example, titta is a Norwegian dialect word for "little girl."

Hence "Titty" in Swallows & Amazons.

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