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Glossary entry

English term or phrase:

puppet

English answer:

offspring

    The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2011-08-06 17:54:15 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
Aug 3, 2011 03:06
12 yrs ago
4 viewers *
English term

puppet

English Social Sciences Psychology
In a text I am reading now, they are referring to animal babies as "puppets".
For example: "...dogs; cats, cows or any other mammal lick their puppets often after birth, and give them close physical contact by lying next to them. This is not only to keep them clean, licking also “starts” the animal puppet’s brain and makes it become active, and physical contact is also an important “starter” of attachment and the emotional bonding between puppet and “mother”. "

I have never heard using "puppet" in this meaning, as a collective noun, referring to actual mammal's offspring.
Is this correct use? If I hear "animal puppets" I think of animal-shaped toys that you can put on your hands and make them move...
;-)

I have heard "pups" used for dog babies and wolf babies, is that short for "puppets"?

The text was probably not written by native English speakers.
Responses
4 +7 offspring
4 +1 puppies
4 -3 Puppet

Discussion

lorenab23 Aug 3, 2011:
I think they wanted to say puppies, "pup" is short for puppy but it only referes to dogs. Either the writer is not native or the autocorrect went crazy.
If not a native speaker, the author was probably trying to find a general word to talk about all offspring.

Responses

+7
10 mins
Selected

offspring

I think this is the most general term for any animal. puppets must be a mistake as I doubt it's related to 'pups'

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Note added at 11 mins (2011-08-03 03:18:21 GMT)
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you may want to use animal-specific vocabulary though if the animal is mentioned, as you said, dog/wolf offspring are known as 'pups' etc.
Note from asker:
I am not writing this text, but reading it. So I understand what they mean, I just had doubts about their use of "puppet". I suspect the text is a translation from another language where the same word is used for animal offspring and puppets.
Peer comment(s):
agree Liz Dexter (was Broomfield)
2 hrs
agree Jack Doughty
3 hrs
agree Jenni Lukac (X)
6 hrs
agree British Diana : It must be from "puppy", I think
8 hrs
agree Melanie Nassar : or young
8 hrs
agree vierama : surely from puppy
9 hrs
agree eski : Or "their young" : eski :))
13 hrs
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you everybody for confirming my suspicion that this use of the word "puppet" is in fact incorrect."
-3
2 hrs

Puppet

According to Oxford dictionary.

Puppet.

a movable model of a person or animal that is typically moved either by strings controlled from above or by a hand inside it.
#

That means this word can be use for new born animal who require helping hand of there parents.
Reference:

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/puppet

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/puppet

Note from asker:
a movable <b>model</b> ... of an animal "a hand <b>inside it</b>" This is precisely why I think "puppet" canNOT be used this way. I am not a native English speaker, but I am 100% sure I am reading and interpreting the Oxford dictionary definition correctly.
Peer comment(s):
disagree Teresa Reinhardt : no, it can't
2 hrs
disagree British Diana : Sorry, you are barking up the wrong tree here.
6 hrs
disagree B D Finch : Even your explanation is full of errors: "According to Oxford dictionary" [missing article], "can be use" [used], "there" [their] etc.
1 day 6 hrs
Something went wrong...
+1
12 hrs

puppies

puppies:

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Note added at 12 hrs (2011-08-03 15:41:20 GMT)
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Whether as a result of a back-translation or whatever; I think there's a good chance that the original meaning was simply "puppies" which, I believe, is the most common term in English:
Puppies for Sale, Dogs for Sale and Dog Breeders
www.puppyfind.com/ - CachedDirectory of dog breeders with puppies for sale and dogs for adoption. Find the right breed, and the perfect puppy at PuppyFind.com.
Member Login - Find a Puppy - English Bulldog Puppies for Sale - Great Dane
►
Puppies, Cute Puppy Names, Pictures of Puppies & More | Daily Puppy
www.dailypuppy.com/ - Cached8 hours ago – Find cute puppy pictures and videos. Learn how to care for and train puppies. Submit your puppy to be the daily puppy, create profiles for ...
Pupfolio - More Puppies - Photos - New! - Forum
Dogs & Puppies - Cats & Kittens - Pets for Sale at Pets4Homes UK
www.pets4homes.co.uk/ - Cached1 day ago – Find Dogs, Puppies, Cats, Kittens for sale at the UKs most popular free pet advertising site for pedigree and non pedigree dogs, puppies, ...


eski :))

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Note added at 13 hrs (2011-08-03 16:30:38 GMT)
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Hi Katalin; I know that -if we're being scientifically correct, then my entry is certainly wrong, but I know that the term "puppies" & "pups" is commonly used to refer to other animals, as well:

Cow's Milk and Love - 12.Mar.2011 | mnsbooks.com
www.mnsbooks.com/content/cows-milk-and-love-12mar2011 - Cached12 Mar 2011 – Ever see her licking? You are from the city, never noticed a cow. ... these cow hormones, she would become very much licking the puppies, ...

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Note added at 13 hrs (2011-08-03 16:32:22 GMT)
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y does my cat lick furniture? I catch her licking closet doors ...
cheapcatfurniture.net/why-does-my-cat-lick-furniture-i-catch-her-lic... - Cached12 Jan 2011 – Why does my cat lick furniture? I catch her licking closet doors, ... a good itch. my pups love to lick their feet and the carpet. i am ...

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Note added at 14 hrs (2011-08-03 17:09:04 GMT)
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Hi again, Katalin:
I see that you're indeed correct: In that case ; "offspring" or "their young" might be more approprite.


Greetings from Acapulco,
eski :))
Note from asker:
Puppies refer to dogs only, however the text talks about cats, cows, and mammals in general.
If you read the reference you quoted on cow's milk and love, you would see they use "puppies" to refer to dogs. Here it is the full paragraph: "So then they <b>took those hormones from the cow and put them in a <i>dog</i></b>. The dog was ok, the puppies come and push, she will give some milk, sometimes they chase the puppies, they bite, hey, get out. I don’t feel like giving milk now. Then they noticed, <b>when the <i>dog</i> would get injected with these cow hormones, she would become very much licking the puppies</b>, palming like a mother cow! Very interesting study." My question was whether using "puppet" as a collective noun in reference to mammals' offspring was correct.
Peer comment(s):
agree Thuy-PTT (X)
15 hrs
Hi Thuy.PTT: Thanks for your confirmation & 'saludos'. eski :))
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