The ExMormon Reddit page has proven what Latter-day Saint scholars and apologists (e.g., John L. Sorenson, An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon [1985]) have been arguing for years, that is, the Book of Mormon peoples used Old World terms for New World plants and animals.
On a thread about horses in the Book of Mormon, the opening post has the following map of (some, not all) Native American etymologies for "horse." Notice that terms such as "big/sacred/mystery dog" and "[Tame] Elk" are used to denote horses.
On a thread about horses in the Book of Mormon, the opening post has the following map of (some, not all) Native American etymologies for "horse." Notice that terms such as "big/sacred/mystery dog" and "[Tame] Elk" are used to denote horses.
For more on "loanshifting," see Neal Rappleye, “Put Away Childish Things”: Learning to Read the Book of Mormon Using Mature Historical Thought
On "horses" and the Book of Mormon, see Wade E. Miller and Matthew Roper, Animals in the Book of Mormon: Challenges and Perspectives
