Sparm, noun
- Origin:
- See quotation 1970.
obs. except in historical contexts
honey-guide.
1853 F.P. Fleming Kaffraria 74One of the most remarkable of the birds of this country..is the Kaffrarian Honey-bird, or Sparm (Cuculus Indicator).
1970 V.S. Forbes Informant, Grahamstown (now Makhanda, Eastern Cape)In my opinion Sparm must derive from the fact that this bird is called after the Swedish naturalist who first described it, hence it is known as Sparrman’s Honeyguide or the Honeyguide of Sparrman. In the latter version the preposition of could have been mistaken for the Dutch word meaning or, thus resulting in the Honeyguide or Sparrman, the latter becoming contracted to Sparm.
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