[PW] Big Dipper

[Charles Early]

I've never heard it either, but in the Wikipedia article it's stated 
that:  "... in northern England it is occasionally referred to as the 
Butcher's Cleaver".  There may be some connection.

At 12:17 PM 6/19/2007, you wrote:
>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
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Project Wombat
> >> list at project-wombat.org
> >> http://www.project-wombat.org/
> >
> > Charles Early
> > Library, Code 272                       (301) 286-0887, Fax (301) 286-8218
> > Goddard Space Flight Center             Charles.T.Early.1 at gsfc.nasa.gov
> > Greenbelt, MD 20771                     Library Associates of Maryland, LLC
> > *If you have a moment, please fill out our online customer satisfaction
> > survey :
> > 
> http://library.gsfc.nasa.gov/surveys/customer/customersatisfactionevaluation.htm
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Project Wombat
> > list at project-wombat.org
> > http://www.project-wombat.org/
> >
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Project Wombat
>list at project-wombat.org
>http://www.project-wombat.org/

Charles Early
Library, Code 272                       (301) 286-0887, Fax (301) 286-8218
Goddard Space Flight Center             Charles.T.Early.1 at gsfc.nasa.gov
Greenbelt, MD 20771                     Library Associates of Maryland, LLC
*If you have a moment, please fill out our online customer satisfaction 
survey :
http://library.gsfc.nasa.gov/surveys/customer/customersatisfactionevaluation.htm