Mermaid. A word that demonstrates the ineptitude of human language, and the species' predisposition for infantilizing the unknown. I have seen the woodcuts, the illustrations, the portraits of bare-breasted women with voluptuous tails, both equally ill-suited for the deep water. But palatability is prized over accuracy. It easier to market a nymph than a viperfish.

— The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw (Page 59)