Basque butterflies

[Anthony Appleyard]

Among all this talk, it should be remembered that how a language handles a
word depends somewhat on the named object or action's place in the life of the
people. Butterflies are pretty little things, but they are not a central or
essential part of life (unless the early Basques knew already of the
connection between some species of butterfly and damage to crops from
caterpillar infestations). Thus the word would be liable as centuries passed,
to frivolous alterations and replacements.