Galapagos
I just saw a Discovery Channel show about the Galapagos Islands... the announcer said that Galapagos means "turtle".... I only knew Tortuga! I even looked up Galapagos in several online Spanish/English dictionaries, and all came back with NO English Equivelant..... Just wondering if it is, indeed, another word for turtle'
4 Answers
En español cuando se nombra la palabra Galápago generalmente es para referirse a las tortugas de tierra, aunque eso depende de las regiones, pues hay quienes llaman galápagos a las tortugas de Mar.
El origen de la palabra galápago no tiene su origen en las tortugas aunque una tortuga galápago es propiamente una tortuga de tierra a la que se llama así debido a la gran semejanza que tiene su caparazón con un 'galápago'. Galápago es una silla estilo inglés para montar caballos, en inglés estas sillas son llamadas 'saddle? y una 'English saddle? es una galápago. Es una silla que tiene una forma 'parecida? a las tortugas de tierra sobretodo aquellas con el caparazón muy 'abombado?
The english equivalent from galapago is 'Tortoise'. In spanish usually it is said Galápago to the earth turtle (in some regions said galápago to the sea turtle). The origin of the word galápago does not come from the turtles. Is called to him so that its shell is very similar to 'galapago'. A 'galápago? in english is saddle and the 'English saddle? it has a form similar to the shell of the earth turtle.
Hey...Galapagos is a kind of turtle, they are the biggest in the world and you´re right, turtle is "tortuga".
Gracias Doris!!! I figured it had to be something like that.... having a degree in Bio, I've studied these islands a good bit... and I knew they were a huge turtle habitat.... but, I guess I never learned that the name comes from a particular species of turtle!!! Thanks for your help!
The islands are named after this type of saddlebacked turtle, existing mainly in that Ecuador region. It's specific only to this type of turtle. Otherwise, I think tortuga is the common name for all turtles.
