I just learned something too, that you can
type in “define” and get a definition. I’m not impressed
though with Google’s “define” seeing what it turned up for
lek. Try www.webster.com to get a real
definition of lek as it’s used in Utah
Main Entry: 1lek
![](gif00000.gif)
Pronunciation: 'lek
Function: noun
Etymology: Swedish, short for lekställe mating
ground, from lek mating, sport + ställe place
: an assembly area where animals
(as the prairie chicken) carry on display and courtship behavior
You can even hear it pronounced!
And don’t worry about “just falling off
the apple cart”, none of us knew what lek meant when we first started
birding.
Steve Summers
Cedar
City
From: owner-birdtalk@utahbirds.org
[mailto:owner-birdtalk@utahbirds.org] On
Behalf Of MHW
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2004
12:12 AM
To: BirdTalk
Subject: [BirdTalk] Here a lek,
there a lek, everywhere a lek lek lek?
Hi all:
Well, maybe I fell off the apple cart yesterday and just don't seem to be up on
all the hip jargon and abbreviations.
Given that, what in the world is a "lek"? I mean, how would I
know if I wanted to go to a Sage Grouse lek in Carbon County
anyway?
Let's see, Google define: returns a definition of "the basic unit of money
in Albania."
(As defined by WordNet, a lexical database for the English language, Cognitive
Science Laboratory, Princeton
University.) Given
the context, that is surely not what "lek" refers to in this
forum.
(If you didn't know, go to "Google.com" type in "define:"
and the word or phrase in question, and it will return all sorts of nifty
information. Pretty neat trick.)
Would any of you be so brave as to post an
answer to BirdTalk, and not just send it to me personally?
That way the others of us who don't know can learn what it means and get that
much more from the next post mentioning a "lek." I know not all
of you know what a lek is, even if you'd rather not admit it. Just like in a
class-room setting, students are admonished that if they don't understand
something, someone else likely does not understand either, so ask the question,
don't be shy, you might just learn something. I'm sure I'm not the only
one in class that does not know.
Happy Birding,
Matthew.