LL-L "Etymology" 2002.05.15 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 15.MAY.2002 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: "John M. Tait" <jmtait at wirhoose.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2002.05.12 (06) [E]

Ron wrote:

>Why references to "hen" and "cow"?

Don't know, but 'clock lady' means 'beetle lady', _clock_ meaning
'beetle'. _Clock_ [klOk], pronounced exactly like the word for the
timepiece, is the usual word for a beetle in Shetland, though I don't
recollect hearing it on Mainland Scotland.

In parts of Shetland, 'lady hen' refers to a large moth which batters
itself against windows at night. In other parts of Shetland, the same
creature is called a 'stourie moch' - at first sight meaning 'dusty
moth.' (_stour_ [stu:r] - dust; _moch_ [mO:x] - moth).

John M. Tait.

http://www.wirhoose.co.uk

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

John Magnus wrote above:

> In parts of Shetland, 'lady hen' refers to a large moth which batters > itself against windows at night. In other parts of Shetland, the same > creature is called a 'stourie moch' - at first sight meaning 'dusty > moth.' (_stour_ [stu:r] - dust; _moch_ [mO:x] - moth).

I believe that's the kind of moth that in Low Saxon (Low German) is
called _Üülken_ ['?y:lkN=] "little owl" (diminutive form of _Uul_ [?u:l]
'owl').  I guess they do look a little owl-like close up.  (It's
_Nachtfalter_ in German.)

The small types of moth, the ones that eat holes into your clothes, are
called _Mott_ [mOt] (feminine, pl. _Motten_ ['mOtn=).  (It's _Motte_ in
German_.)

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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