Re: vapor versus gas ( cow = beef)

[Roger Haar <haar@PHYSICS.ARIZONA.EDU>]

Hi,
        As an old farm boy, I feel compelled to point out a slight
problem with the "cow" = "beef" statement.  A "cow" is a
mature female bovine, and a "bull" is the mature male
bovine.  English basically lacks a non gender specific word
for a single member of the bovine species, but there is a
plural which is "cattle"

        Usually if you order a steak you will almost never get a
cow, because usually a cow is slaughtered only after she has
outlived her reproductive usefulness, and is tough.  She
becomes at best hamburger.  Young males headed for slaughter
are usually castrated early in life because testosterone
tends to produce strong tasting meat.

Thanks
Roger Haar
***********************************
John Denker wrote:
> Hi --

> *) On the other hand, the words differ in connotation, and are not quite
> used interchangably. The situation is loosely analogous to "beef" versus
> "cow".  You wouldn't want to sit at the dinner table and ask for another
> serving of cow.