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Posing birds?

(5 Posts)
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Indinana Thu 26-May-16 12:30:23

I'm sure people only use the term metaphorically. There is a lot of language that is not literal, but it conveys the scene as it appeared to the person speaking. I've snapped a friendly robin which stood still on a branch, looking at me while I took several photos. It was 'as if' it was posing for me.
Yes, that's the difference, the use of 'as if'. But I imagine that's what most people mean. I can't get worked up about it.

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FarNorth Thu 26-May-16 09:33:56

I always thought someone who used that expression was being mildly humourous.
Or using as shorthand.

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thatbags Tue 10-May-16 07:05:11

Phew! Glad it's not just me grin

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Greenfinch Tue 10-May-16 06:54:40

I had never thought about this but you are absolutely right.A smiling baby isn't. actually posing.We are just catching it at the right moment.

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thatbags Tue 10-May-16 06:32:25

It irks me that with photos of birds and other wildlife that people post on Twitter, there is often a caption about the animal posing. I've always thought of posing as a deliberate and conscious act so I find this use of the verb irritating. I really don't think a reed bunting lands on a reed so that twitchers can take a photograph of it. It lands on a reed because that's what it does, because that is part of its normal behaviour, its jizz, in finding food, nest-building, etc.

Similarly, bluetits don't 'pose' on people's bird feeders. Even the famous Rory that one hears about in Soop's Kitchen isn't 'posing' when Soop takes a picture; he's just being a cat.

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