Basque butterflies

[Larry Trask]

Rick Mc Callister writes:

[on the Basque 'butterfly' words in <bitxi->]

>       Any possible link between <bitxi> and Spanish <bicho> "bug,
>  critter, varmint" and also various slang meanings

Doubt it.  Basque <bitxi> means 'pretty', 'pretty little thing', 'ornament',
'jewel'.  It has no connection with bugs or any other critters anywhere except
in the 'butterfly' words cited.  And let's face it: as bugs go, butterflies are
exceptionally pretty.

This <bitxi> occurs in various other names.  For example, the common Basque
word for 'daisy' is <bitxilore> -- literally, 'jewel-flower', I guess.

[on Basque <matxinsalto> 'grasshopper', literally 'Marty-jump']

>       maybe influenced by Spanish <saltamontes> "Grasshopper", literally
>  "jump weeds"

In fact, formations of this general kind are fairly frequent as names for small
creatures in both Basque and Spanish.  Note, for example, <marisorgin>
'Mary-witch' for 'praying mantis', <martinarrantzale> 'Martin-fisherman' for
'kingfisher', and others in this vein.

Larry Trask
COGS
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 9QH
UK

larryt at cogs.susx.ac.uk