The gannet (Morus bassanus; formerly Sula bassana) is a bird in the gannet (Sulidae) family. It is a seabird with a wide range in the north Atlantic, including the North Sea. The name gannet was already used by seventeenth-century whalers. The word 'gent' has the same origins as the English name 'gannet' (from Middle English 'ganet' and Old English 'ganot'), in English 'gander' and in Dutch 'gent', 'gander' or 'ganzerik' for a male goose. How "jan van" came to be before it remains uncertain. Possibly it is a corruption of the Celtic name Ian ban an sgadan (white herring bird). Also possible is a corruption of the word (misunderstood in Dutch) 'bassaan' or 'bassan', with which the sound matches (inner and end rhyme). It may also have to do with the Dutch habit of giving a male name to a bird (such as 'klein jantje' for the wren)or putting the name Jan in expressions such as "Jan en alleman", "Jan Hen", "Jan Salie" etc. So the Dutch-language name of this bird has nothing to do with the city of Ghent or the name of the person Jan van Gent.
A dutch photographer living in Jakarta, Indonesia since 1995. Specialized in landscapes and culture, mainly of Indonesia but also from other countries in Asia and elsewhere.
For examples you can have a look at my Instagram accounts: @angesvdl and @angesvdl.world..
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