tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905541471605961414.post8926397030046582941..comments2024-03-28T17:25:17.827+07:00Comments on Thai 101: Etymologist 15: Ghosts and butterfliesRikkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17196282287835224940noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905541471605961414.post-59245558084546825662009-05-24T22:00:21.344+07:002009-05-24T22:00:21.344+07:00Have you ever gone camping in the jungle and hung ...Have you ever gone camping in the jungle and hung up a shirt on clothesline or tree branch? <br /><br />After nightfall, you'll notice that moths and other pi suea-like insects have gathered en masse in the night -- clinging to the fabric and, I suppose, nibbling it. <br /><br />This is my pneumonic device for pi suea. Butterflies are kind of ephemeral creatures and they -- or at least their moth cousins -- eat clothes. (Not suggesting this is part of the etymology, by the way -- I have no clue.)<br /><br />PatrickAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905541471605961414.post-69327527602982759382008-09-03T13:45:00.000+07:002008-09-03T13:45:00.000+07:00Trying to find out by myself etymology of the Engl...Trying to find out by myself etymology of the English term butterfy, I found some hints that it is seen in that way described with my dismal English in the preceding posts:<BR/><BR/>http://www.insects.org/ced4/etymology.html#Schmetterling:<BR/><BR/>"Webster's Third New International Dictionary says perhaps the word comes from the notion that butterflies, or witches in that form, stole milk and butter (see German "Schmetterling" below)."BloggStockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11591946441141854551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905541471605961414.post-52953474085410858802008-09-02T02:33:00.000+07:002008-09-02T02:33:00.000+07:00P.S.; I missed the following: The most interesting...P.S.; I missed the following: <BR/><BR/>The most interesting of the three terms mariposa, butterfly and Schmetterling is actually theier difference as regards their "coining" in relation to the Latin papilio.<BR/><BR/>Another term, where I was surprised to hear the very first time in my life was the English term DRAGON FLY, where an independent English word coining process is obvious: Lat.: libellula (given name by Carl von Linné), fr. libellule, it. libellula, ger. Libelle, die etc. etc.<BR/><BR/>Thus, the difference between a flying dragon and a flying witch/hag etc. (sorry for the typo bitch/witch in my preceding) steeling butter (???) is that major?BloggStockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11591946441141854551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905541471605961414.post-21541605724678040102008-09-02T02:09:00.000+07:002008-09-02T02:09:00.000+07:00I think I found a partial explanation in the Germa...I think I found a partial explanation in the German article "Der Molkendieb Maria" at http://pratunamo.twoday.net/stories/4943755/, but in relation to German (+/- the English butterfly) and Spanish. The conclusion is:<BR/><BR/>"Thus in German (+/+ English) bitch, in Spanish (the Holly mother of the Lord) Maria of Jesus Christus - sometimes things happens in that way."<BR/><BR/>I'm not aware about the etymology of the English term butterfly, but the similarity with the German term (in sharp contrast to the Spanish term mariposa (Maria posa te!)) Schmetterling is so obvious ... and at the end the story - at least - behind (meaning of) the Spanish and the German term appears, according to the German blog, the same.<BR/><BR/>German Schmetterling and english butter? Butter (engl.) translates into Butter, die (ger.). Thus, butterfly = Butterfliege? The term doesn't exist in German but a popular belief is that flying ditches (but of course not the maidservant caring for the milk while producing butter :-)) are stealing always something from the Milch (milk), Molke (whey), or Sahne (cream). The letter term is finally the clue to the German term Schetterling:<BR/><BR/>Schmẹt|ten, der; -s [tschech. smetana] (ostmd.): Sahne.<BR/><BR/>ostmd. = east Middle High German<BR/>tschech. = Czech<BR/><BR/>Thus, butterfly = the bitch (ผี) snaffeling butter/cream/whey/milk??<BR/><BR/>I do not know the etymologies of butterfly, but if it similar to the etymology of the German term Schmetterling, why then an etymologist on 'Ghosts and butterflies' as regards Thai but not English language?BloggStockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11591946441141854551noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6905541471605961414.post-30417746161089025172008-08-07T20:54:00.000+07:002008-08-07T20:54:00.000+07:00Interesting. I wonder if the butterfly featured in...Interesting. I wonder if the butterfly featured in "Where the Miracle Happens" is symbolic then?Wise Kwaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00462741207572023832noreply@blogger.com