Pörner

English translation: stag beetle

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Pörner
English translation:stag beetle
Entered by: Rebecca Garber

17:07 Dec 30, 2009
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Zoology / 18th century name for plant/animal
German term or phrase: Pörner
This is part of a description of a 1735 Meissen porcelain figurine of a jay sitting on a tree. I can see a squirrel, a beetle and what looks like ivy or maybe mistletoe on the tree.

Einen Eigel gabich poussiret Welcher ins Königl. Ballais gehörig, ist Vorgestellet Wie er auf einem Großen Eigel Ast sitzet, Welcher mit Eigeln und Blättern Starck bewachsen ist, und sich eine Eigel abfrißet Welches sein Futter ist, so sind auch unter schiedliche Raupen, wie auch ein Pörner, welche sich gerne auf den Eigel Bäumen auf halten, daran befindlich“
Alison Kirkland
Local time: 04:33
stag beetle
Explanation:
According to Grimm, Börner (Pörner) is lucanus cervus, the largest of the beetles of which it is believed that it carries glowing coals in its "antlers" up into thatched roofs, so that it is also called berner (incensor), hausbrenner, feuerwurm, fürböter, scheunenbörner, etc.
According to Google, lucanus cervus is a stag beetle.
So, this would be your beetle.
The tree may be an Eichel (Eigel), which would be a beech (again, according to Grimm)
Selected response from:

Rebecca Garber
Local time: 00:33
Grading comment
Many thanks for quick answer (suppose I should have realised that the P should be replaced with a B).
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5stag beetle
Rebecca Garber


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
stag beetle


Explanation:
According to Grimm, Börner (Pörner) is lucanus cervus, the largest of the beetles of which it is believed that it carries glowing coals in its "antlers" up into thatched roofs, so that it is also called berner (incensor), hausbrenner, feuerwurm, fürböter, scheunenbörner, etc.
According to Google, lucanus cervus is a stag beetle.
So, this would be your beetle.
The tree may be an Eichel (Eigel), which would be a beech (again, according to Grimm)

Rebecca Garber
Local time: 00:33
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Many thanks for quick answer (suppose I should have realised that the P should be replaced with a B).

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Christian Schneider: however I think the tree might be an oak
23 mins
  -> Could be an oak. Hard to tell from the description and the spelling.

agree  Johanna Timm, PhD: http://maria.fremlin.de/stagbeetles/nomes.html
3 hrs
  -> Tahnks Johanna, nice link :)

agree  John Speese: Don't know all the ins and outs of "old" German, but I too would lean more to oak, also because that's what stag beetle larvae feed on the logs of. And Schroeter or Hirschkaefer would be modern names for the stag beetle.
5 hrs
  -> Thanks, John. I've not seen oak as Eiche*l*, therefore the beech comment. If stag beetles like oaks, then that certainly makes more sense.

agree  Monika Elisabeth Sieger: YEP! Happy New Year!
16 hrs
  -> Thanks sivara, Guten Rutsch!!

agree  Dr Lofthouse
2 days 40 mins
  -> Thanks, hope your New Year is going well.
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