'Making Up Animal Names Without Referencing Other Animals' The Game

[holbuzvala]

whale = deep-singer OR bristel-tooth

next: pig

[Pedant]

Pig=half.hoof-ANIM or mud-eat-PRES.ACT.PART.

Next: lobster

[Xhin]

Lobster = Sea-claw

Next: Elephant

[Pedant]

Elephant: PRIVATIVE-forget-IMP-ANIM OR 3s-ears.long-POSS-NOM

Next: swimming iguana

[Xwtek]

swimming iguana = crawler-swimmer.
(In the same language, the word for an iguana is land swimming iguana.)

Next: silk worm.

[Qwynegold]

Silk worm: maker-of-wealth.DIM

Next: fox

[linguistcat]

fox: trickster.DIM
next
vampire squid

[Pedant]

Vampire squid: blood-lantern

Next: thorny devil (in a similar vein)

[Xwtek]

I think we should not accept an animal name that in the English language already has no reference to another animal.

[Pedant]

I think we should not accept an animal name that in the English language already has no reference to another animal.

...you might have to run that one by me again.

[Xwtek]

I think we should not accept an animal name that in the English language already has no reference to another animal.

...you might have to run that one by me again.

I mean something like "sugar glider": In English, the animal is referred as a compound of sugar and glider, neither of them refers to any animal, so it should be disallowed, since answering as "sugar glider" suffices.
"thorny devil" already consists of an adjective and a noun, neither of them refers to an animal (unless you mean Tasmanian devil, which I doubt if the word "thorny devil" refers to it instead of referring to inhabitants of hell). I can immediately answer "thorny devil" and the answer would be correct.

[Pedant]

I think we should not accept an animal name that in the English language already has no reference to another animal.

...you might have to run that one by me again.

I mean something like "sugar glider": In English, the animal is referred as a compound of sugar and glider, neither of them refers to any animal, so it should be disallowed, since answering as "sugar glider" suffices.
"thorny devil" already consists of an adjective and a noun, neither of them refers to an animal (unless you mean Tasmanian devil, which I doubt if the word "thorny devil" refers to it instead of referring to inhabitants of hell). I can immediately answer "thorny devil" and the answer would be correct.

Simple answer to this one, and it's that I'm pretty sure they still work, so long as you can be creative about it. Far enough back, all animal names are just as transparent--this is an opportunity to rethink how those old labels might be reworked, at any point in a language's history, for our own works. Sugar glider, for example, might be "sap.lick-HABITUAL-DIMINUTIVE" or "skin-wing" or "sweet-blood-drinker", depending on how you want to look at them. Likewise "thorny devil" might be something like "spike.plant-body" or "bristle-back-DIM". It's all down to thinking outside the box, maybe using variations from other languages.
However, if you do insist, there's always "Jackson's Chameleon" to try...

[linguistcat]

There are plenty of animals that, in non-English languages, are named without referring to another animal, but that might refer to another animal in English. I don't see why their English names should be privileged above their names in other languages. As long as you don't make it the same thing as the English name (since English is board wide common language), and try not to make it the same as in another language you know, I don't see the problem.

Also:

Jackson's Chameleon: Grabhorn

Next: vampire bat

[Xwtek]

There are plenty of animals that, in non-English languages, are named without referring to another animal, but that might refer to another animal in English. I don't see why their English names should be privileged above their names in other languages. As long as you don't make it the same thing as the English name (since English is board wide common language), and try not to make it the same as in another language you know, I don't see the problem.

I see, so if the English name already fulfills the requirement, we have to find another compound.

Next: vampire bat

blood-sucker

Next: flea

[quinterbeck]

Next: flea

Flea: bite-jump-AGT.NMZ-DIMINUTIVE

Next: panda bear

[Xwtek]

panda bear: bamboo eater.

next: primates (you decide if this includes or excludes human).

[Pedant]

Primate: ABS-tail-ANIM OR tree-HABIT-FEM

Next: capuchin

[holbuzvala]

Capuchin: “he-sleeps-wedged-in-branches” = branch.LOC-sleep-crush-AG

Next: frog

[Raholeun]

This is a nice game and frog, although it holds special significance for the Sataw, is an animal yet to be named. Cool!

frog: pond<RED.DIM>

Next: sea cucumber

[Xwtek]

sea cucumber: sea pillow

Next: black dragon