Is calling an opossum a possum just a regional thing? Seriously, I knew the word possum WAY before I found out about opossum. I think I knew the word marsupial first. I’m wondering if only gangsters use the word possum and call raccoons trash pandas.
If I’m a gangster I wonder if I need to change my tax info with my accountant. Do opossum have accountants? Can the plural of possum be o posse?
I doubt that this word conundrum is just a Philly thing, but if it is I gotta let Tina Fey know so she can present these new findings on SNL.
Anyway, here’s a link that has an “Opossum” growling, because we’re talking about it and it wants to be gangster.
There’s lots of other nice things on that page; my search for distraction complete. In my twisted mind, this possum is eating the face of one of the people in my office who doesn’t understand office etiquette.
And in further research to broaden this topic, Merriam-Webster says they’re the same. AI site “Grammarly.com” says opossum are in the Americas, while possum are in Australia. And a third source (inkforall blog) adds to this last idea and asserts that we in the Americas may have a silent ‘O’ in opossum. I think someone needs to advance this and start an argument involving possum with Phillies hats and opossum with Mets hats. AI can help with the trash talking. All links below.
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