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What’s in a name? (i.imgur.com)

submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/curatedtumblr

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[–] EmoDuck 15 points 2 years ago (2 children)

AWAIL (A while ago I learned) that butterflies are named that because they like to drink the fatty cream that form atop of fresh milk that's used to make butter.

This also goes for german. The Schmetter in Schmetterling has ethymological connections to Schmalz

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Stop trying to make AWAIL happen. It's not going to happen.

[–] EmoDuck 20 points 2 years ago

I tried to. But, alas, to no awail

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

They don't like the fat, it was just a folk tale that they do. They were thought to steal the butter for some reason.

An older, still regionally used German name for the butterfly reflects that: Molkendieb.