Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Pörner

English translation:

stag beetle

Added to glossary by Rebecca Garber
Dec 30, 2009 17:07
14 yrs ago
German term

Pörner

German to English Art/Literary Zoology 18th century name for plant/animal
This is part of a description of a 1735 Meissen porcelain figurine of a jay sitting on a tree. I can see a squirrel, a beetle and what looks like ivy or maybe mistletoe on the tree.

Einen Eigel gabich poussiret Welcher ins Königl. Ballais gehörig, ist Vorgestellet Wie er auf einem Großen Eigel Ast sitzet, Welcher mit Eigeln und Blättern Starck bewachsen ist, und sich eine Eigel abfrißet Welches sein Futter ist, so sind auch unter schiedliche Raupen, wie auch ein Pörner, welche sich gerne auf den Eigel Bäumen auf halten, daran befindlich“
Proposed translations (English)
3 +5 stag beetle
Change log

Jan 2, 2010 14:37: Rebecca Garber Created KOG entry

Discussion

Christian Schneider Dec 30, 2009:
Not sure about the Pörner yet, but 'Eigel gabich' is most likely a misreading of 'Eigelhabicht' (= Eichelhäher = jay)

Proposed translations

+5
31 mins
Selected

stag beetle

According to Grimm, Börner (Pörner) is lucanus cervus, the largest of the beetles of which it is believed that it carries glowing coals in its "antlers" up into thatched roofs, so that it is also called berner (incensor), hausbrenner, feuerwurm, fürböter, scheunenbörner, etc.
According to Google, lucanus cervus is a stag beetle.
So, this would be your beetle.
The tree may be an Eichel (Eigel), which would be a beech (again, according to Grimm)
Peer comment(s):

agree Christian Schneider : however I think the tree might be an oak
23 mins
Could be an oak. Hard to tell from the description and the spelling.
agree Johanna Timm, PhD : http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/nomes.html
3 hrs
Tahnks Johanna, nice link :)
agree John Speese : Don't know all the ins and outs of "old" German, but I too would lean more to oak, also because that's what stag beetle larvae feed on the logs of. And Schroeter or Hirschkaefer would be modern names for the stag beetle.
5 hrs
Thanks, John. I've not seen oak as Eiche*l*, therefore the beech comment. If stag beetles like oaks, then that certainly makes more sense.
agree Monika Elisabeth Sieger : YEP! Happy New Year!
16 hrs
Thanks sivara, Guten Rutsch!!
agree Dr Lofthouse
2 days 40 mins
Thanks, hope your New Year is going well.
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Many thanks for quick answer (suppose I should have realised that the P should be replaced with a B)."
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