prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (Default)
prettygoodword ([personal profile] prettygoodword) wrote2012-06-27 07:14 am

mavis

mavis (MAY-vis) - n., (arch. or dial.) the European song thrush (Turdus philomelos).


For a bonus poeticism, also called throstle. The woman's name is from the bird, while the bird's is old -- dating from at least the 14th century as mavys, from Anglo-French mauviz, possibly (and the dictionaries are tentative here) from Old French mauve, seagull, mew. I can see why the tentative.

"The thrush replyes; the mavis descant playes" — Spenser, the line before yesterday's

---L.

[identity profile] janni.livejournal.com 2012-06-28 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
the little girl's not listening
she's talking to the bird
Mavis you can trust me
now's your big chance
fly away

[identity profile] prettygoodword.livejournal.com 2012-06-28 01:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Hee. Hadn't thought of that.

---L.