LL-L "Traditions" 2007.06.08 (04) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  08 June 2007 - Volume 04

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From: Roger Hondshoven <rhondshoven at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language politics" 2007.06.04 (05) [A/D/E]

Hello Henno & R. F. Hahn and others,

Obviously, there are a great number of names for the ladybug that relate to
deities. In East-Brabant we have another interesting example. It's called
'livrake', which stands for 'lie(f)vrouwke', clearly referring to Mary.

Regards,

Toger Hondshoven

From: Henno Brandsma < hennobrandsma at hetnet.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Traditions" 2007.06.03 (06) [E]

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

Thanks, Lee.  I agree with all you said. Sometimes there appear to be
different source languages, such as in the case of the Hebrew word for
"wren".

As for ladybugs, there are definite themes going on throughout Europe:

Reference to non-Christian female deities:
Old Norse: *freyjuhaena*

Reference to Mary:
Calabrese: gaddrinèddra d'à Madònna
Castilian: mariquita
Catalan: marieta
Danish: mariehøne
Dutch: Lieveheersbeestje

This does not belong in the reference to Mary category, but in the
references to God section.
"(onze) lieve heer" stands for God. It's a more catholic turn of phrase,
protestants tend to say/write "de Heere".
(archaic form from the Staten-translation from the 17th century)

English: ladybird, ladybug
German, Modern: Marienkäfer
German, Middle: *Marienvoglein *
Icelandic: maríuhæna
Low Saxon: Mariek
Norwegian, Dano-: mariehøne

Reference to God:
Breton: buoc'hig-Doue
Irish: bóín Dé
Low Saxon: Herrgottskoh
Nissart (Nice Provençal): galineta dòu bouòn Diéu
Russian: Божья коровка

Reference to chickens:
Danish: mariehøne
Icelandic: maríuhæna
Nissart (Nice Provençal): galineta dòu bouòn Diéu
Norwegian, Dano-: mariehøne
Old Norse: f*reyjuhaena
*Low Saxon: Sünn(e(n))küken
Welsh: b uwch goch gota

Reference to birds generally:
English: ladybird
German, Middle: *Marienvoglein*

Reference to cattle:
Dutch: Lieveheersbeestje

Not cattle. but just "little animal" literally, but often used for insects
in general.

West Frisian is "ingeltsje" (little angel), which is also a religious
reference.

Henno Brandsma
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