Knowing relations between words can help understand their meanings and build a more connected vocabulary network. Here, you can explore parents and offspring and discover the whole family.
- shows how many children or parents the word has
- get the translations and a link
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Sources for Etymology:
- Check "schmetterling" on DWDS.de
Biggest German Dictionary, great for etymology, usage frequency and collocations) - "schmetterling" on Wiktionary (English version)
(For etymological connections across European languages. Not always accurate) - Etymonline.com - Origins of English words
My favorite source for the origin of English words.
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I learned the distinction between “butterfly” and “moth” in grade school. I have just learned that the words don’t map neatly into German. Could you explain how Schmetterling, Motte, Tagfalter, and Nachtfalter are used in colloquial German?
You could use ChatGPT’s answer as a jumping off point–or just let us know that you agree, if it’s correct. Here’s what it said in response to the prompt,
The words “butterfly” and “moth” don’t translate exactly into German. Please explain how to talk about Lepidoptera in colloquial German.
ChatGPT:
Schmetterling is the general term for butterfly, but it can also refer to any Lepidoptera with colorful or attractive wings. For example, you can say Schmetterling to describe a monarch butterfly, a swallowtail butterfly, or a peacock moth. Schmetterling comes from the word Schmetten, which means cream or butter in some dialects. Some people believe that this word originated from a superstition that butterflies were witches who stole cream or butte rhttps://bing.com/search?q=Lepidoptera+in+German&form=SKPBOT.
Motte is the general term for moth, but it can also refer to any Lepidoptera with dull or plain wings. For example, you can say Motte to describe a clothes moth, a luna moth, or a hawk moth. Motte comes from the word Motten, which means moths or worms in Middle High German https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english-german/lepidoptera. Some people believe that this word originated from the association of moths with decay or damage.
However, these terms are not always clear-cut or consistent. Sometimes, Schmetterling and Motte are used interchangeably or based on personal preference. Sometimes, there are specific names for different types of Lepidoptera that do not follow the general pattern. For example, Nachtfalter is a term for nocturnal Lepidoptera, but it can include both moths and butterflies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Lepidoptera_of_Germany. Tagfalter is a term for diurnal Lepidoptera, but it usually only includes butterflies https://glosbe.com/en/de/lepidoptera.
Therefore, if you want to talk about Lepidoptera in colloquial German, you can use Schmetterling and Motte as general terms, but be aware that they are not always precise or accurate. You can also use more specific terms if you know them or look them up. You can use online resources such as Lepiforum https://www.bing.com/translator/?ref=TThis&text=Lepidoptera&from=en&to=de&form=SKPBOT or Schmetterling-Raupe https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ to find out more about the names and characteristics of different Lepidoptera in German.
ChatGPT got the origin of Schmetterling correct.
Also, yes, Schmetterling is usually thought of as beautiful, while Motte is the gray one that eats your clothes or lives in your kitchen cupboard.
Nachtfalter is a more specific term that only people use who actually can identify it, same for Tagfalter, which I have never heard.
I think you only need Schmetterling (the pretty ones you want to see) and Motte (the dark ones you don’t want in your house).
Hope that helps.