Re: Butterflies

Larry Sulky wrote:
> On 11/3/05, Raivo Seppo <uiracocha@...> wrote:
> > A newcomer in the list proposes to extend the theme: what are the
> > roots/words semantically connected to the term ´butterfly`or is the term
> > an
> > independent one? It´s quite obvious in English (butter-fly, OE
> > butorfleoge)
> > or, perhaps, in Estonian - ´liblikas´ is derived from ´lible`(a
> > grass-blade). As I remember, Greek ´psyche´also referred to the insect,
> > being appositely animistic in that connection.
> >
> I had always heard that this word was originally "flutter-by", but
> through some humourous linguistic process got tied up with the concept
> of "fly" (the insect) and so became "butter-fly", then just
> "butterfly". Is this just a cute etymological myth?
Don't know; that was my understanding too.

Polysyllabicity of the term:
Some Indonesian languages or other: kalibambang, kalipopo (first may contain
the root {bang} 'to fly')
Another (reminiscent of the Livonian term cited) liplipkai 'firefly' in
Leti, based on a word (lipa) meaning 'spark'.

The insects of Cindu are mostly unknown. It would be a shame, however, not
to have some analogue of moths/butterflies