Why are flies called flies? Is it because that’s the first thing primitive man saw flying? Why didn’t they name birds flies? In fact, why aren’t there any animals named for other means of locomotion? You don’t see any creature named swims, although fish would easily fill the bill. Nothing named runs either, which could easily describe a cheetah or a horse. There aren’t any creatures named after their primary activity either – no climbs (chimps), no sleeps (sloths). So it’s kinda weird that the English language did just the one.
