瘋小貓的華麗冒險

這個困惑我已久的疑問終於在上上禮拜的報紙兒童版找到解答 -- 雖然不是太好的解答，總算是發現有人和我一樣困惑，所以讓我為自己的困惑稍稍釋懷...（什麼心態呀... :p）

報紙的套色不佳，掃描後不利閱讀，原文轉錄於下：

Why are butterflies called "butterflies"?

No one knows for sure, since the word has been in the English language for centuries. The word was butterfleoge in Old English, which means butterfly in our English today.

Because it is such an old word, we don't really know the first time someone said, "That thing over there is a butterfly."

One story is that they were named so because it was thought that butterflies, or witches that took on the shape of butterflies, stole milk and butter. （巫婆偷奶油？還真特別.....）

Some people think it comes from someone hearing "butterfly" when someone else said, "flutter-by." In other languages, this fluttery bug is not called anything like "butter" and "fly." （這個說法倒是有一點點道理）

Why do you think butterflies are called butterflies?

另外上網找了一篇比較詳細的說明（也是小朋友提問、專家解答的模式...看來這還真是只有小朋友會問的問題... :p）

My biology teacher just gave us an assignment to find out where the word "butterfly" came. He wanted to know why we call butterflies "butterflies" since they don't look like flying butter and they don't eat butter. While searching I came across your website and figured you might be able to help me. I'd be grateful if you could e-mail me your thoughts. Thanks, Melody Dean

... and our answer was ...

Melody, It depends on whom you would like to believe. The Anglo-Saxons used the word "butterfloege" because their most common butterfly was the yellow brimstone butterfly. This English influence was brought to the new world. In the colonies, people claimed that at night witches would turn into winged creatures and steal butter. In other languages the butterfly's name means "licker of milk" and milk thief.（到底哪一國的蝴蝶會偷牛奶或奶油啊...牠們不是吃花蜜的嗎？XD） So maybe they were not off the mark. In Russia they're called "babochka" or "little soul". The ancient Greeks called butterflies "Psyche" which also means "soul." Many cultures feel that when we die our souls go to heaven as butterflies. In France they are called "papillon." Parking tickets are called "papillon" too, because they are big pieces of yellow paper. When they are placed under a windshield wiper they flap like a big yellow butterfly. The Sioux Indians called butterflies "fluttering wings". There are other stories which are not as pleasant. The Dutch word for butterfly, describes the color of when they go to the bathroom. It is a yellow drop from something that flies. Rick Mikula （最後這個 unpleaseant 的故事還滿好笑的...）

順道一提，Wiki Answer 的解答還挺胡鬧的 -- They are made of butter. 不愧是小朋友的答案 XD