BY ALETHEA LO
STAFF WRITER
The name ‘sloth’ originated around 1749 and was coined by the French. Today, sloths are considered to be one of the most unique animals in our ecosystem. But, in the 1700s, sloths were thought to be useless by the Europeans. French Naturalist Georges-Lois Leclerc de Buffon described these animals: “slowness, habitual pain, and stupidity are the results of this strange and bungled conformation. These sloths are the lowest form of existence. One more defect would have made their lives impossible.”
The name sloth goes back to seven deadly sins in Christianity. The meaning behind the sin is laziness and the failure to do things as one should. Throughout centuries, sloths are stereotyped as creatures that lack motivation and competence. The sloths are considered to be called “Xenarthra.’’ They have an anomalous cervical vertebrae and a lot of ribs. The name “Xenarthra’’ means strange joints, which also mean “aliens’’ or “foreign.’’
Source: https://slothconservation.org/the-etymology-of-sloths-names/