Why do we call milk "milk" instead of "cow juice"?

Answer 1

Because "cow juice" sounds GROSS!!!

Answer 2

A little known fact, but true.

The Latin word for milk is lact. Hence the Spanish word...lacto or the common word leche.

Now, those Romans were a smart lot. They could see where the language was headed. So, as not to be the subject of scorn and ridicule in later centuries, they took it upon themselves to modify, or create if you will, words that would mean the same but not have any possibility of being used for silly and inane jokes.

Milk was chosen for this reason. Cow juice was indeed considered, but not used due to the obvious concern of exactly where from the cow the "juice" was expelled.

Oh, we do owe the Romans many things when it comes to our daily usage of words.

One word that has survived through millennium is mucus. The Latin base word is almost exactly the same word used today. Though the fluid is distinctly differernt ......ummm, I better leave it at that. I've already had 2 violations today.

Answer 3

'cause it's not the juice of a cow, but the milk of a cow. The juice of a cow would be blood. It should really be called cow's milk

Answer 4

i call milk cow juice

Answer 5

I call it cow juice

Answer 6

'Cause 'cow juice' would imply that you squeezed the cow. Kind of like orange juice, lemon juice, etc. I'd like to see the poor fellow who tried THAT one.

Answer 7

Because cows have other forms of juice that aren't very delicious.

Well, milk is gross anyway.

Answer 8

lol - wouldn't 'cow juice' be what you get if you ran a cow thru a blender? (bleahhhh, I think I'll just skip lunch now...)

Answer 9

because not all "milk" comes from "cows"

Milk is the substance produced by mammals to feed their young.

Answer 10

Because 'juice' is only used for fruits and vegetables. carrot juice, apple juice, tomato juice etc.