h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I frequently refer to the Online Etymology Dictionary. I recently noticed that their derivation of the name Regulus (a star in Leo) had it probably coming from Arabic. I noticed that Regulus is the Latin for little king, and in Ptolemy's Almagest, published 150 AD, the star was named Basiliskos, Greek for little king. So it seems evident that the modern name is just the Greek name translated into Latin.

I wrote to the site's owner, Douglas Harper, and he's updated it.

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=regulus&searchmode=none

He doesn't creit you, though!

Sorry - "credit" - it's what you get for writing across a dinner plate.

That's OK. I know it was my advice that prompted it. He did say that he did some research of his own, didn't just take my advice. Very wise.

Fascinating, to be sure! And, Congrats!

But what was the previously considered Arabic name of the star? Did it come close to either, in sound or meaning?

If you look at the derivation of the word 'basilisk', this came via the Latin word 'basiliscus'. Why do you think they chose to rename the word for the star?

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=basilisk&searchmode=none

What was the previous Arabic name? It was something that vaguely resembled Regulus.

Why did they rename it from Basiliscus? I think that Basiliskos meant "little king" in Greek, but Basiliscus in Latin meant a hideous lizard which would kill you with its stare. So when they were working out the latin names for the stars they simply translated the Greeks ones into Latin, retaining their meanings.

Coo... They cheated!

Nothing to do with stars, but dictionaries can sometimes go potty. I have a 'Wordbook' english dictionary on my iPhone, and looking for a word (for Scrabble, and not finding it) I came upon the fascinating word (Gnomon will know it) gegenschein.

The given derivation is 'from the Latin gegenschein'

I saw the new moon late yestreen
With the old moon in her arm;
And if we go to sea, master,
I fear we'll come to harm

Gnomon:

I believe that there is no more capable person on hootoo than you to solve one of the most puzzling etymological mysteries of our time, especially as it is currently the subject of an entry in Peer Review.

What is the most likely origin of the name of a fried egg sandwich, the 'Egg Banjo'?

The current origin does not satisfy, the thing about needing to strum off from one's shirt the dripping egg yolk.

I thought perhaps that it had something to do with slicing, as a mandolin is a slicer and gets its name from strumming motion of its operation, the image of a banjo could be evoked by the egg frying in a pan with a handle; but that would be before it's placed on the bread.

I suspect that, if the name originated with the military, or was the result of a local name for the sandwich, mangled, you could be just the researcher who could find out. It may be that something sounding like 'banjo' (pan-jo?) means sandwich, and egg is just the variety?!

Would you give it a go then?

You have your glue! Way you go Gnomon.

Strumming the jumper seems apposite enough to me.

Otherwise, could it have something to do with banjax? The egg has to be pretty well mangled to hold together in a sandwich; the yolk must be broken in order to cook hard without turning the whole to stiff plastic.

I might rule out the military on account of their names for food are not generally repeatable, but the idea that it was the result of a local name for the sandwich has some merit. Say, a cook named Banjo, or a shop named Banjo - hence Egg (a la) Banjo.

...Say, I wonder if the first appearance of the sandwich was on round bread.

Well, I've never heard of an egg banjo, and it's not in my dictionary, so I'm not going to be much use to you finding the derivation.

But I think if you tell me a derivation I can usually tell whether it is likely or not. The strumming your shirt derivation is not.

Look what was at the top of the google list!!!

A776054

Yup! That's the one!

While we're on the subject - Curators, could you link back from this to the Fried Egg entry, if and when the (A57051803) makes it to the EG. Thank you.

Of course, Egg banjos are mentioned and the above-mentioned entry is linked in the Fried Egg entry.

I just noticed that the Egg Banjo entry was subbed by Bels.

I didn't know that Bels was a sub-editor. I only met him in Peer Review (and once in real life).