Glukhar

[Meredig, John]

Below is the entry for глухарь from my dissertation on Russian bird names.

John Meredig

     gluxói téterev, gluxár’ (+ variants). Eurasian Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus). This is a rather problematic name, as the related adjective gluxói has a number of meanings (ORD has 10 definitions). The pertinent definitions here are ‘thick, dense; wild’ and ‘deaf.’ Various scholars have attempted to relate this name to one or the other. Vasmer claims that the male “becomes deaf” (glokhnet), as it were, when it is issuing its mating call. Flint (84) claims that “[w]hile calling, the bird is apparently oblivious to its surroundings.” Gerhart (1994:295) writes that it is “noted for its deafness during its mating call when ear passages are blocked off… ; the hunter runs up close while the call lasts and then freezes until the next call is under way.” Others refer to the deafening sound these birds make when flushed: “takeoff from the ground very noisy, positively deafening” (F, 84); “When flushed, bursts out of cover very noisily” (Bruun 1970, 96); H (98) also notes the thunderous take-off (polterndes Fluggeräusch).
     Aksakov (1868:320-21), however, emphatically denies that the name is connected with ‘deaf,’ but rather describes the wild, remote, inaccessible haunts of this bird. He does note that the idea that this bird is deaf was a widespread folk belief, even among older hunters of the time, and he notes the expression “ah, you deaf grouse” [“èkh, ty glukhaia teteria”], directed at those who failed to hear something. However, he points out that every experienced hunter knows full well that this bird has a very acute sense of hearing. Aksakov is most likely correct here. There are no corroborating names in English or German referring to deafness. This appears to be a case of a folk belief generated by an ambiguous name.


From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [mailto:SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU] On Behalf Of Jules Levin
Sent: 11 жовтня 2013 р. 11:30
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Glukhar


Here's all you need to know and more:
The Western Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie /<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English>ˌ<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>k<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>æ<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>p<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>ər<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>ˈ<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>k<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>eɪ<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>l<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>i<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English#Key>/<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA_for_English>, is the largest member of the grouse<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grouse> family.
The Russian wiki article gives the same latin name as above.
Photos are included.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Capercaillie

However when I read the articles, I think that maybe the Russian VIKI article is giving the wrong Latin name.  It should be T. parvirostris, the Black-billed Capercaillie.
Jules Levin
Los Angeles
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