Meaning of "scarecrow" in different languages

Leasnam   Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:47 pm GMT
<<Swedish: fågelskrämma- fågel-bird,krämma-custard,cream
Norwegian (bokmål)‬-fugleskremsel fugl-bird,kremsel-cream. >>

HAha, very cute :p

You are aware however that you split the word at the wrong ord:

Swedish: fågelskrämma = fågel-bird + skrämma- to scare
Norwegian (bokmål): fugleskremsel = fugl-bird + kremme(derivative)-to scare
Leas   Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:48 pm GMT
<<Norwegian (bokmål): fugleskremsel = fugl-bird + kremme(derivative)-to scare >>

That should be 'skremme' with an s
Fear   Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:28 pm GMT
<<Norwegian (bokmål): fugleskremsel = fugl-bird + kremme(derivative)-to scare >>
Leasnam,"skremsel" means "fear" in English.
Coco   Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:33 pm GMT
Walloon (Liège): spawta.

I have no idea of the etymology.
Coco   Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:37 pm GMT
Ah, spawter means 'to scare'. Nice.
PARISIEN   Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:43 pm GMT
<< Walloon (Liège): spawta. >>

-- C'est une version particulièrement concise, concentrée et condensée de 'épouvantail', dont la forme médiévale devait être : 'eSPAuWanTAil'
Leasnam   Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:57 pm GMT
<<Walloon (Liège): spawta.
I have no idea of the etymology. >>


Walloon 'spawta' < 'espawta' < 'espawté' "to stun, stupefy", prob from the same source as French 'épouvantail', 'épouvanter' "to scare" < VL *expaventare (cf Italian 'spaventare', Old Spanish 'aspaventar') from Latin 'expavare' "to cringe, fear"
Leas   Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:06 pm GMT
<<Latin 'expavare' "to cringe, fear" >>

I meant 'expavere', sorry
artem   Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:58 pm GMT
russian: "pugalo", comes from pugat' (to frighten), ukrainian: "strahovys'ko", comes from "strahaty" (to frighten), which in its turn comes from "strah" (fear)
South Korean   Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:45 pm GMT
Hmm, the European words for this term are more similar to each other than I had thought. How about in semitic languages?