Date: Tue, 17 Sep 1996 16:55:24 -0600

From: Samuel Jones smjones1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU

Subject: Re: Ladybug Etymology?



Can any ADS-er help me out with sources for etymology/folklore

involving the ladybug and the Virgin Mary?



Somebody is bugging me (sorry, no pun intended) for some info

about this for a religious article. They figured out that

ladybug is "mariankaufer" in German and know that there's a story

in there somewhere...



any help gratefully received and deeply appreciated!



--Erin McKean

emm2[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]midway.uchicago.edu

OR

erin.mckean[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]harpercollins.com



__________________________________________________________________________



Ms McKean!



The correct German word is Marienkaefer = (roughly) Marian Beetle,



and NOT Mariankaufer, which does NOT exist as such in German.



I believe the British may translate Marienkaefer as Ladybird (?),



You might try looking up the term's etymologie in DER GROSSE DUDEN.



smjones



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Prof. of Music & Latin American Studies TELNET: samjones[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]macc.wisc.edu

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