[Lexicog] lady bug

[Nick Miller]

Hi Jan,
Well, it's in Holub and Lyer's Stručný etymologický slovník jazyka českého.
I didn't make it up.
Nick

 -----Original Message-----
 From: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com] 
 Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 10:12 AM
 To: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
 Subject: RE: [Lexicog] lady bug

 Nick,

 I don't want to sound like a native speaker who murmurs against a
non-native linguist repeatedly. That is not my intention.
 Nevertheless, 'beruška' does not sound like "a diminutive of 'brouk'
('beetle')" to my native ear. Checking the word in the Czech Etymological
dictionary reveals that the origin of the word is unclear, with two or three
theoretically possible, but unproven options.
 By the way, the older version of beruška is berunka, and an even
older one is bedrunka, still used here in the Wallachian dialect.

 Jan




   -----Original Message-----
  From:  lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com] 
  Sent: Friday, September 16, 2005 9:41 AM
  To: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
  Subject: RE: [Lexicog]  lady bug

  In Czech ladybird is 'beruška'- just a diminutive of 'brouk'
- 'beetle'

  Do you know this info?:
  "Now about the words "ladybug" and "ladybird." Our "ladybug"
is the supposedly inelegant corruption of "ladybird," so the main question
deals with the etymology of "ladybird." "Ladybird" is itself a sort of
corruption of the term "Our Lady's Bird," with "Our Lady" being understood
to be the Virgin Mary. The idea apparently is that ladybugs are so pretty
that they're worthy of being associated with The Virgin. This notion flows
through other cultures as well. The French call ladybugs "les betes du bon
Dieu," or "creatures of the good God," and "les vaches de la Vierge," or
"cows of the Virgin." The Germans call them "Marienkäfer," or "Mary's
beetles." "
  The link is http://www.backyardnature.net/n/03/031228.htm
written by one Jim Conrad

  Nick Miller << File: avast info.txt >> 


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