[Lexicog] circular definitions

[Translation MALI]

I wonder how referring to people by animal names works across
languages. Here is an example:
In German if you refer to a man by "steer" that can be a compliment
to his virility:
a famous Bavarian political leader was called "der Stier (the steer)
of Munich", likewise, a well-known French leader was named "le taureau
de Paris" (the steer of Paris).
to refer to a policeman by "Bulle" (bull) is an insult
to refer to a woman by "Kuh" means "she is stupid"
To my knowledge "steer" does not work the same way in English,
for "bull" you would rather say "he is bull-headed", and "she is a cow"
means, so I was told, "she is fat".

Fritz Goerling



On Tue, 9 Mar 2004, Benjamin Barrett wrote:
> I think at least for the cow/bull entry in English, the dictionary
> should give examples of what sort of species the words apply to. Many
> native English speakers are not aware that a male whale is a bull and a
> female a cow. My American Heritage Dictionary 3 gives:
>  1a. An adult male bovine mammal. 1b. The uncastrated adult male of
>      domestic cattle. 1c. The male of certain other large animals, such
>      as the alligator, elephant, or moose.

I agree that this is a well thought out entry apart from omitting whales.
I hope the cow entry mentions that for some folks a cow is any adult
bovine creature (but not any adult non-bovine creature?).  I've been
gritting my teeth through references in this thread to male and female
cows, though I realize that the number of people in North America who make
the distinction bull vs. cow, let alone steer, is small.  I am minded of
the family story of a cousin of my mother's whose teacher glossed a
picture of a bovine with the words "Class, this is a cow.  We get milk
from cows."  He stood up and told her that you couldn't get milk or
anything else from that animal, because it was a steer.







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