this post was submitted on 22 Jun 2023
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Today I learned

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TIL that ladybugs are also called ladybirds (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago by AskThinkingTim@lemmy.world to c/todayilearned@lemmy.ml
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I am Australian and have always known it exclusively as the American term “ladybug”. Never heard of ladybird before.

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[–] maddogx2 4 points 1 year ago (3 children)

We call them ladybirds in the UK. No idea why.

[–] tegs_terry 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Santa Maria is the lady in question. The bird part could be a corruption of 'beetle' maybe? Or perhaps just it just sounded more poetic.

[–] maddogx2 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Germany: Marienkäfer (Mary’s beetle)

France: la bete a bon Dieu (good God’s animal)

Russia: Bozhya korovka (God’s little cow)

Greece: paschalitsa (little Easter)

Portugal: joaninha (little Joanne)

Spain: mariquita (little Maria)

Wales: buwch goch gota (small red cow)

Scotland: daolag-bhreac (speckled beetle)

Slovenia: pikapolonica (spotty bug)

Argentina: Vaquita de San Antonio (St. Anthony’s small cow)

Stolen from https://www.nickybay.com/ladybird-beetles-brief-history-behind-name-lady/

[–] tegs_terry 1 points 1 year ago

I think, if ordered correctly, we'd discover exactly how this game of Chinese Whispers played out.