Editing Chicken

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'''Chicken''' is the name used by many [[Roshar]]an cultures -- excluding the [[Shin]] and the [[Unkalaki]] -- to refer to all species of birds.{{wob ref|1415}} Only some are what would be called chickens in any other part of the [[cosmere]],{{wob ref|8346}} such as [[Scadrial]].{{book ref|mb5|prologue}} The term coming to mean all birds is a result of [[Vorin]] languages tending towards generalization, similar to how all alcohols became wines and all small creatures became [[cremling]]s.{{wob ref|3978}}

Chickens are not native to [[Roshar]], but were brought to the planet during the initial human migration from [[Ashyn]].{{wob ref|12228}} They live mainly in [[Shinovar]] and are plentiful there.{{book ref|sa1|i|4}} Very few birds are found in most of eastern Alethkar; wild sightings are essentially unheard of in [[Alethkar]].{{wob ref|5818}} There are some exceptions, as wild geese live in the [[Horneater Peaks]] and [[Felt]] notes that other wild birds range as far east as the [[Valley]].{{wob ref|8891}}{{book ref|sa3|114}}

Most easterners have a very poor understanding of the anatomy and behavior of chickens.{{book ref|sa2|55}} By the time of the [[True Desolation]], more people began to recognize the differences between various species of birds, but the term chicken was still firmly entrenched in the Vorin vernacular.{{book ref|sa2|45}}{{book ref|sa4|i|5}}

== Uses ==

Chickens are often edible, and are therefore an export of Shinovar.{{book ref|sa1|22}} [[Vstim]] trades with [[Thresh]] (and likely other Shin) for chickens that he sells to customers in the east at high prices.{{book ref|sa1|i|4}} Chicken as a food is therefore relatively uncommon in the [[Vorin]] nations, and is even served at royal feasts.{{book ref|sa1|22}} [[Adolin Kholin]] believes that eating chicken brings good luck and always eats some before his duels.{{book ref|sa2|14}}

Very expensive arrows may be fletched with chicken feathers.{{wob ref|12838}} The elder [[Tanalan's father|Tanalan]] wore decorative feathers on his battle helm, which Dalinar found odd.{{book ref|sa3|11}} Since wild geese live in the Horneater Peaks, [[Unkalaki]] arrows are often fletched with geese feathers{{book ref|sa3|37}} and the [[Unkalaki#language|Unkalaki language]] has a word for goose.{{wob ref|8891}}

== Notable 'Chickens' ==

* [[Jeksonofnone]], a bright green chicken brought by a [[Thaylen]] merchant to the [[Middlefest Fair]] which could say its name upon command.{{book ref|sa2|45}}

* [[Mraize]] owns an [[Aviar]] which is referred to as a 'green chicken' by Shallan.{{wob ref|8807}}

* [[Lift]] finds another Aviar, a red 'chicken' that belonged to an [[Gereh|old Feruchemist]] who was killed by [[Mraize]] during the occupation of [[Urithiru]]. She is now raising the bird.{{book ref|sa4|i|5}}{{book ref|sa4|116}}

* [[Shallan]] observes a 'chicken' with red, blue, and green feathers when she is at the Shattered Plains menagerie with [[Adolin]] and [[Kaladin]].{{book ref|sa2|55}}

== Trivia ==

* The use of the word 'chicken' to refer to all birds is known as a [[wikipedia: Synecdoche|synecdoche]], or more specifically in this case, ''[[wikipedia: Pars pro toto|pars pro toto]]''.

{{complete|[[User:Big Smooth|Big Smooth]] ([[User talk:Big Smooth|talk]]) 22:28, 21 March 2023 (UTC)}}