My favorite bit of bear lore is the etymology of the word "bear"
spoiler
The English word "bear" comes from Old English bera and belongs to a family of names for the bear in Germanic languages, such as Swedish björn, also used as a first name. This form is conventionally said to be related to a Proto-Indo-European word for "brown", so that "bear" would mean "the brown one".[1][2] However, Ringe notes that while this etymology is semantically plausible, a word meaning "brown" of this form cannot be found in Proto-Indo-European. He suggests instead that "bear" is from the Proto-Indo-European word *ǵʰwḗr- ~ *ǵʰwér "wild animal".[3] This terminology for the animal originated as a taboo avoidance term: proto-Germanic tribes replaced their original word for bear—arkto—with this euphemistic expression out of fear that speaking the animal's true name might cause it to appear.[4][5] According to author Ralph Keyes, this is the oldest known euphemis
Same thing in Slavic languages, but they replaced arkto with "the one who knows where the honey is", medved (med = honey, ved = knowledge) "honey eater", thank you for correcting comrades!
This terminology for the animal originated as a taboo avoidance term: proto-Germanic tribes replaced their original word for bear—arkto—with this euphemistic expression out of fear that speaking the animal’s true name might cause it to appear
My favorite bit of bear lore is the etymology of the word "bear"
spoiler
The English word "bear" comes from Old English bera and belongs to a family of names for the bear in Germanic languages, such as Swedish björn, also used as a first name. This form is conventionally said to be related to a Proto-Indo-European word for "brown", so that "bear" would mean "the brown one".[1][2] However, Ringe notes that while this etymology is semantically plausible, a word meaning "brown" of this form cannot be found in Proto-Indo-European. He suggests instead that "bear" is from the Proto-Indo-European word *ǵʰwḗr- ~ *ǵʰwér "wild animal".[3] This terminology for the animal originated as a taboo avoidance term: proto-Germanic tribes replaced their original word for bear—arkto—with this euphemistic expression out of fear that speaking the animal's true name might cause it to appear.[4][5] According to author Ralph Keyes, this is the oldest known euphemis
Same thing in Slavic languages, but they replaced arkto with
"the one who knows where the honey is", medved (med = honey, ved = knowledge)"honey eater", thank you for correcting comrades!Huh, I thought it was more akin to "honey eater"
It literally means honey eater
Erm, ackshually Wiktionary says that's a false etymology.
Thank for correcting bigbigchungus! I thought it's honey-knower my whole life
No problem
What Arctotherium and Cave Bear encounters can do to mfs💀
Omg seabear