Just wondering...

[Dan]

Ever since I can remember we called maple tree seeds helicopters. But what did people call them before we had helicopters?

[LarryEA]

Dan, this is a guessing game and we may never know.

I'll start by saying they were called whirligigs or whirliseeds.

Which means they could  have been called whirlybirds.

Whirligigs or whirliseeds, it is from the whirly that I will base

a case that the helicopter got its nickname of whirlibird from the maple seed.

Ah ha... I'm right!!! I proved it to me!

 

Larry

[wombatie]

We called them propellers when I was a kid in England.  Does this help you Dan? 

 

Marg

[lawson56]

Well ya may find this a little silly.I always called them Fairy wings,still do.and I had a yard full of them,cutter to.it is neat to watch them fall.

[LarryEA]

We called them propellers when I was a kid in England.  Does this help you Dan? 

 

Marg

So thats   why you liked the joke, you are English, not Australian...ahha..   

[Rob Roy]

Hi Larry we called them whrligigs too. Or if you like, in Scottish, "BURLIES". Like a spinning top BURLS, (spins). So there you go Larry, you've learned something new today. If you don't learn something new every day it's a day wasted.          .

Rob Roy.

[LarryEA]

Roy, yes I did learn something new,  burle, spin  tks.

And Dan, if nothing else, yer getting more nicknames...whirligigs,propellers, fairywings, spinners

and maple seeds were the first helicopters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Hi Larry we called them whrligigs too. Or if you like, in Scottish, "BURLIES". Like a spinning top BURLS, (spins). So there you go Larry, you've learned something new today. If you don't learn something new every day it's a day wasted.          .

Rob Roy.

[robbert100]

my (dutch) grandmother called it (heksenneusjes)  witches noses I do not know why 

grandfather calls it the horse poison  (Apparently it kills a horse in three days after eating it )

i  know it as propellers ore helikoptertjes 

[bobscroll]

I'm with Marg on this, Propellers that's what I call them,

Bob 

[Phantom Scroller]

What about flying maple seeds 

[Rob Roy]

What about flying maple seeds 

I'll stick with the BURLIES Roly      

Rob Roy

[Dan]

Wow, great responses. My brother posed this question to my mom. She just stared at him and said how old do you think I am? I don't know the answer and can't find anyone old enough to know. With all the different replies from all over, maybe the term helicopters is a local term for them.

 

Burlies, huh. If there are a bunch of them that spin together as if they are putting on a show, is it called a burlesque show?

[wombatie]

So thats   why you liked the joke, you are English, not Australian...ahha..    

 

Actually Larry I'm both. ;)

 

Marg

[lawson56]

It just goes to show it all depends on where ya from,this is a Great and Beautiful World we live in.

[nrscroller]

Well, I have a soft maple in my front yard and it is big and I call those things a__________pain in the butt. They are all over everything all the time. Yes, I call them helicopters too, kinda cute the way they float down but not when you have to pick them all up!!  

Bill in Wisconsin

[amazingkevin]

I forget what I called them as that's a long time ago!

[bandaideman]

I am with you Bill I have many names for them as the fill my eaves. I have 5 soft maples between my yard and neighbors. Cleaning them out is a real pain