# Why do we eat "beef" and "pork" rather than "cow" and "pig"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [May 31, 2002, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704 "2002-05-31T09:02:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704/21 "2002-06-11T14:31:05Z")
On the other hand, “Cow Wellington” sounds sorta bluesy. ---
**Author:** ![fgarriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c6cbf5/32.png) [@fgarriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fgarriel)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2002, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704/22 "2002-06-14T20:49:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cartooniverse \* > **Additionally, in our language, " pig " has taken on more than one meaning, whereas “pork” ( aside from the most foulminded of souls… ) means pork.** Having been called it at times… > [@](#): > > From [www.m-w.com](http://www.m-w.com): > Main Entry: porky > Pronunciation: 'pOr-kE, 'por- > Function: adjective > Inflected Form(s): pork·i·er; -est > Date: 1852 > : resembling a pig : FAT ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2002, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704/23 "2002-06-18T14:30:15Z")
\*Kat said \* > [@](#): > > Nope. Or at least, not me. Even The Master doesn’t put his foot down on this debate. That may be, and IANAF, but I grew up in dairy land (one of the main local restaurants is called The Dairy Capital :rolleyes: ) and all the people that I knew were quite strict about the distinction between male, female both before and after birthing the first time, and males that really aren’t any more. The lack of distinction may be a city-slicker thing. One of my child hood friends lived on a farm that often hosted field trips from schools in the nearby city. After showing the kids some newly born calves, one child remarked, “where is the eggshell?” That kid probably thinks that cows and bulls are the same thing too 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![white-tigeress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f475e1/32.png) [@white-tigeress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/white-tigeress)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704/24 "2002-06-22T16:10:51Z")
I love beef and pork !!! ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2002, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704/25 "2002-06-22T17:57:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by C K Dexter Haven \* > … it’s an unfertilized chicken embryo. Unles, IIRC, one’s doing that “free range” egg thing. ---
**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704/26 "2002-06-26T17:03:52Z")
I wouldn’t have guessed it, but this thread is causing all _kines_ of trouble. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2002, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704/27 "2002-06-26T18:43:48Z")
My great-aunt Ivy, who lived to be 100, was a farmer most of her days. She referred to cattle as “beeves.” She was a Hoosier with Celtic roots. –Nott ---
**Author:** ![MrWhy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9f8e36/32.png) [@MrWhy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrWhy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2002, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704/28 "2002-07-02T05:14:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fiver \* > \*\*I wouldn’t have guessed it, but this thread is causing all _kines_ of trouble. \*\* ::groooaaaan:: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-we-eat-beef-and-pork-rather-than-cow-and-pig/111704.md?page=1)