Tattorack@lemmy.world to Showerthoughts@lemmy.world · edit-21 day agoThe name "seagull" implies the existence of landgulls, airgulls, and firegulls.message-squaremessage-square31fedilinkarrow-up136arrow-down10file-text
arrow-up136arrow-down1message-squareThe name "seagull" implies the existence of landgulls, airgulls, and firegulls.Tattorack@lemmy.world to Showerthoughts@lemmy.world · edit-21 day agomessage-square31fedilinkfile-text
minus-squarejaybone@lemmy.ziplinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up0·1 day agoWailos or wailer is wolf, is that because they “wail” (howl?) Or is that just a coincidence?
minus-squareilinamorato@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up1·10 hours agoSorry for being unclear–proto-Celtic calls wolves “wailos” for the same reason as they call gulls “weilanna,” because of the noise, yes. The coincidence is that the modern word “wolf” sounds like the proto-Celtic word “wailos.”
minus-squareAqarius@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up1·20 hours agoIt’s probably the result of a taboo. It’s why people say “bear” (the brown one) or “medved” (the honey knower) instead of “arth” or “ursus”.
minus-squareilinamorato@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkarrow-up1·edit-210 hours agoInteresting. I knew about “bear” but I did not know about “medved” as another minced-taboo. Thanks for that.
Wailos or wailer is wolf, is that because they “wail” (howl?) Or is that just a coincidence?
Sorry for being unclear–proto-Celtic calls wolves “wailos” for the same reason as they call gulls “weilanna,” because of the noise, yes. The coincidence is that the modern word “wolf” sounds like the proto-Celtic word “wailos.”
It’s probably the result of a taboo. It’s why people say “bear” (the brown one) or “medved” (the honey knower) instead of “arth” or “ursus”.
Interesting. I knew about “bear” but I did not know about “medved” as another minced-taboo. Thanks for that.