Turtle vs. Tortoise

Reptilian Feline

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Actually, in Swedish, all kinds, turtles, tortoises, terrapins... etc. are called one thing... "sköldpadda". You differentiate between them by adding land-, water-, sea-, in front. "sköld" = shield, "padda" = toad.
 

Ramsey

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OMG. So true. At the office everybody jokes with me because I always correct them when they ask how my "turtles" are doing.

However, as above posters have said, in many countries/languages there is one common word. If I'm not mistaken, I believe some English speaking countries have one common word for torts/turtles/terrapins.
 
N

no one

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Schildpad is the Dutch word. But you can narrow it down to a waterschildpad (turtle) or a landschildpad (tortoise).
 

Big Charlie

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OMG. So true. At the office everybody jokes with me because I always correct them when they ask how my "turtles" are doing.

However, as above posters have said, in many countries/languages there is one common word. If I'm not mistaken, I believe some English speaking countries have one common word for torts/turtles/terrapins.
I think in Australia they reversed it some. They used to call freshwater turtles tortoises.
 

lisa127

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I believe technically all tortoises are in fact turtles. But of course not all turtles are tortoises.
 

Madkins007

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If you have a shelled reptile, you have a turtle.
If you are in some of Europe and your turtle spends almost all of its time on the land, you have a tortoise.
If you are in some of Europe and your turtle divides its time between land and water, it is a terrapin.
If you are in some of Europe and your turtle spends all its time in the water, it is a turtle.
If you are in America and your turtle is a member of the family Testudinidae, it is a tortoise.
If you are in America and your turtle is commonly used for soup, or is a Diamondback terrapin, it is a terrapin.
If you are in Australia, all bets are off.

They are all turtles, every other definition is kinda made up and local.
 

Reptilian Feline

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https://www.etymonline.com/search?q=tortoise

tortoise (n.)
1550s, altered (perhaps by influence of porpoise) from Middle English tortuse (late 15c.), tortuce(mid-15c.), tortuge (late 14c.), from Medieval Latin tortuca (mid-13c.), perhaps from Late Latin tartaruchus "of the underworld" (see Tartarus). Others propose a source in Latin tortus "twisted," based on the shape of the feet. The classical Latin word was testudo, from testa "shell." First record of tortoise shell as a pattern of markings is from 1782.
https://www.patreon.com/etymonline?ref=etymonline.com
turtle (n.1)
"tortoise," c. 1600, originally "marine tortoise," from French tortue, tortre (13c.) "turtle, tortoise" (often associated with diabolical beasts), of unknown origin. The English word perhaps is a sailors' mauling of the French one, influenced by the similar sounding turtle (n.2). Later extended to land tortoises; sea-turtle is attested from 1610s.

turtle (n.2)
"turtledove," Old English turtle, dissimilation of Latin turtur "turtledove," a reduplicated form imitative of the bird's coo. Graceful, harmonious and affectionate to its mate, hence a term of endearment in Middle English. Turtle-dove is attested from c. 1300.

terrapin (n.)
North American turtle, 1670s, earlier torope (1610s), from an Algonquian source (such as Abenaki turepe, Munsee (Delaware) tolpew "turtle"). Subsequently extended to allied species in South America, East Indies, China, North Africa.

I just love looking words up to see where they come from! :<3:
:)
 
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