ศาลาชุมนุม

[D Wilson]

Does anyone know why the guinea pig is called "[nu] gasby/gatsby/gaesbi" หนูแกสบี้ in Thailand?

Thanks for any response.

I cannot read Thai very well (sorry) but I have friends and relatives who can, so if one can respond in English it's ideal but in Thai (or even German, French, Chinese, etc.) is also OK.

[pensive]

Well, no. หนู means "rat" in Thai. So I would think is it a rat named after Gasby.

[Tgeezer]

Well, no. หนู means "rat" in Thai. So I would think is it a rat named after Gasby.

I don't think 'rat' is a good translation for us, หนู is loveable; used as a personal pronoun for someone below us in status and toward whom we are showing affection like our children.
As to being the name of the guinea pig, I know nothing, it seems unlikely.
Edit: that was an unwise remark to make. Nothing should surprise me at my age.

[pensive]

You may be right: หนูทดลอง; หนูตะเภา. Well, still a rat though.

[D Wilson]

Thanks, but I am not asking about the "nu", rather about the "gasby"/"gatsby"/"gaesbi".

This looks like a non-Thai name, "Gatsby", "Gasby", "Gatby", or something like that.

But as far as I know the guinea pig does not have such a name except in Thailand.

Is it named after the novel "The Great Gatsby"? If so, why?

Is it named after the [Japanese, I think] Gatsby brand of men's hair products etc.? If so, why?

Thanks again.

[pensive]

As far as I know, the names in Thai for the Guinea Pig are หนูทดลอง (nu thot long) and หนูตะเภา (nu ta phao). Perhaps you could tell us where you got the name หนูแกสบี้ from.

[Pirin]

[nu] literally means "rat".

[nu], pronounced with rising tone, is a Thai word that is put in front of the word "Gatsby" when pet lovers call their pet which is a species of guinea pig.

Please have a look at the following sites.

http://noraratfarm.com/GuineaPig.aspx

หนูแกสบี้
http://pet.kapook.com/view1345.html

[r2d2]

where you got the name หนูแกสบี้ from.

[pensive]

Great find, Pirin! Someone calls their Guinea Pig "Gatsby" and some else asks why (all) Guinea Pigs are call "Gatsby" in Thai.

Ha-ha.

Q What are หมา called in Australia?
A Rover, I think.

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[r2d2]

Q What are หมา called in Australia?

? ไม่รู้ครับ
? จิงโจ้ ?
"กินนี่พิก หรือ เควี่ (อังกฤษ: Guinea Pig, Cavy) หรือ หนูตะเภา ...ในประเทศไทย ยังนิยมเรียกอีกชื่อหนึ่งว่า หนูแกสบี้"

But this does not help to clarify the question of Khun D Wilson concerning ethymology.