Animals that look related but aren't.

The Orang Pendek and a Müller's gibbon seen by a villager or a field biologist who has been drinking way too much palm wine.

Speaking of the word “Orang,” I always found it funny how those of us who don’t speak Bahasa Melayu or Indonesia tend to automatically associate that word with nonhuman primates more than humans. We also butcher the word’s pronunciation.

And if one didn’t know any better, they’d think “Orang” came from “orange” referring to the ape’s color.
 
Speaking of the word “Orang,” I always found it funny how those of us who don’t speak Bahasa Melayu or Indonesia tend to automatically associate that word with nonhuman primates more than humans. We also butcher the word’s pronunciation.

I thought that this was the general concept of the Orang pendek, right ? Isn't it supposedly described as a simian / nonhuman primate?
 
Tenrecs and hedgehogs.
Some tenrecs look like moles or like shrews.
Hedgehogs and tenrecs!

Most tenrecs are shrew-like in appearance, it just so happens that the five species kept in captivity in recent times have all been the only hedgehog-mimic species :p

The Asian golden cat and African golden cat at first glance at least and superficially sort of resemble eachother in their physical build and the colouration and some of the markings of their fur.

The grisons and the ratel look very similar to me with their slow slung builds and colouration of fur.

The tayra sort of resembles some of the Eurasian martens.

Well, they are all felids or mustelids so it's not a huge stretch that some will look similar to others I feel.

~Thylo
 
So it could also be used in every day speech as something like an insult ?
Yes. For example "Woy pendek, sini lu" which mean "Hey short guy/girl, get over here".

Other insult for short people in Indonesia are "bocil", which is a short for "bocah kecil" that means "little kid". For example "Eh, ngapain ada bocil di kampus?" which means "huh, why are there a kid on a campus?"
 
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Yes. For example "Woy pendek, sini lu" which mean "Hey short guy/girl, get over here".

Other insult for short people on Indonesia are "bocil", which is a short for bocah kecil that means "little kid". For example "Eh, ngapain ada bocil di kampus?" which means "huh, why are there a kid on a campus"

These are brilliant , haha :p, thanks for sharing !
 
Speaking of the word “Orang,” I always found it funny how those of us who don’t speak Bahasa Melayu or Indonesia tend to automatically associate that word with nonhuman primates more than humans. We also butcher the word’s pronunciation.

And if one didn’t know any better, they’d think “Orang” came from “orange” referring to the ape’s color.
With regard to the colour confusion, I remain disappointed that the book “A field guide to the gingers of Borneo” is sadly botanical!
 
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