[PW] Big Dipper

[John P. Dyson]

There is a printed instance of the Big Dipper being called the Butcher 
Case by a Massachusetts-born missionary resident in Mississippi and 
later in Oklahoma. Is that term a regionalism of the northeastern US? 
I've never heard or seen it as a southernism.

John Dyson

Quoting Charles Early <cearly at pop200.gsfc.nasa.gov>:

> Thank you John.  That makes sense; the name corresponds to one of the older
> English names, Charles' Wain (churl's or men's wagon).  According to
> Wikpedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Dipper), this name has cognates
> in other Germanic languages and in Slavic languages.  It's also suggested
> that the North American name Big Dipper may come from Africa.
>
> At 06:42 PM 6/18/2007, you wrote:
>> Quoting Charles Early <cearly at pop200.gsfc.nasa.gov>:
>>
>> > Or for anyone else who cares to try.  We just got a query from someone who
>> > is translating a brochure for a museum in Illinois:
>> >
>> > What is the correct Spanish translation for "Big Dipper" (the
>> > stars)?  Dictionaries say "Osa Mayor," but that actually refers to the
>> > complete constellation Ursa Major, not just the seven stars within the
>> > constellation that make up the Dipper.
>>
>>
>> Hello Charles,
>>
>> The Big or Great Dipper is el Carro Mayor; the little one is el Carro
>> Menor: the Big and Little Wagon or Cart.
>>
>> John Dyson
>>
>>
>>
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>
> Charles Early
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