LL-L "Etymology" 2005.04.28 (09) [E/German]

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From: jonny <jonny.meibohm at arcor.de>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2005.04.24 (07) [E/LS]

Hi, Reinhard,

you translate our (Frankish-influenced, obviously) 'Ackermännchen' into
'[little] husbandman'. The origin, for my opinion, is the way these little
birds are following a plough and picking up all those delicious things,
thrown and digged up for their special pleasure- somehow a more direct
relation to 'acre', freshly ploughed land.
I could watch  them doing this at many occasions.

'Husbandman' to me seems to be too far away from the original reason for
this name. Could you agree, or is there no better way to describe it in
current English?

These birds, by the way, always have been my special favorites, and the
yellow type is called G: 'Schafstelze', because they often follow a
herd/group of sheep to pick up beetles, worms and flying insects who appear
in the special neighbourhood of sheep.

Greutens/sincerely

Johannes "Jonny" Meibohm

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Moyen, Jonny!

> 'Husbandman' to me seems to be too far away from the original reason for
> this name.

Actually, "husbandman" is the classical, standard equivalent of German
_Ackermann_, as in the Grimm's dictionary:

<quote_

 ACKERMANN, m. agricola, rusticus, ahd. acharman, acharbigengo, ags.
äcermon, äcerceorl, altn. akrmaðr, schw. åkerman, nnl. akkerman; in der
volkssprache ackersmann, ein mann des ackers. wird auch für das kraut acorus
calamus und einen käfer, scarabaeus agricola, tenebrio agricola, vermutlich
weil er in der erde wühlt, gebraucht.
ACKERMÄNNCHEN, n. motacilla, die auch in Frankreich hin und wieder semeur,
säemann, in Schweden sädesärla, plogärla, altn. erla heiszt, laboriosa, von
erja arare, laborare, schw. ärja. die volkssage verglich wol die rührige
bewegung des schwanzes bei diesem vogel dem pflügen.

</quote>

However, I think what you have in mind is something like "gleaner" (< < Old
French _glenere_ > _glaneur_), related to "to glean" (< Old French _glener_
~ _glainer_ > _glaner_) 'to pick left-overs after harvest'.

Kumpelmenten,
Reinhard/Ron

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