# Help me find a thread?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-a-thread/172517>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [May 2, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-a-thread/172517 "2003-05-02T00:14:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-a-thread/172517/1 "2003-05-02T00:14:05Z")

</div>

It was a post giving the names of some animals translated from Chinese (Mandarin, I think) - literally, into English. The one example I remember was platypus = “duck-billed monster”. I found it quite hilarious at the time, but now I can’t find it at all! I’ve tried every combination I can think of in the search engine.

I believe it was in GQ, but wouldn’t swear to it. I don’t remember if it had anything to do with the thread it was posted in, even.

Thanks for any help.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-a-thread/172517/2 "2003-05-02T00:34:42Z")

</div>

I think you mean [this one.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23804) The post you refer to is about 3/4 of the way to the bottom of the first page.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-a-thread/172517/3 "2003-05-02T18:30:57Z")

</div>

Thanks **Q.E.D** - how on _earth_ did you find it?! I even searched for “platypus”, all fora, past 6 months - zip.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-a-thread/172517/4 "2003-05-02T18:45:43Z")

</div>

The OP is dated 05-07-2000 **DarrenS**.