> How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

> A woodchuck would chuck all the wood he could if a woodchuck could chuck wood!

What is the origin of this tongue-twister and what exactly is meant by **woodchuck** here?

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**Details:**

Woodchuck is used as an alternative name for groundhogs.

The etymology of woodchuck suggests that the word is not related with "wood" and "chucking" and I think the tongue twister touches on this in a humorous way because woodchucks cannot chuck wood actually. (Can they?)

From [Etymonline][1]:
> **woodchuck (n.)** 1670s, alteration (influenced by wood (n.)) of Cree (Algonquian) otchek or Ojibwa otchig, "marten," the name subsequently transferred to the groundhog.

How did this word emerge (alteration because of similar-sounding?) and how did it end up in this tongue twister?

How is the name transferred to the groundhog?

Bonus:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q6Ti9xCX_M#t=14



  [1]: http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=woodchuck&searchmode=none