Hello,

The etymology of Walrus is one to seperate the horsemen from proper
scientists:

[probably a. Du. walrus (walros). Compare (i) LG. walross, G. walross
(earlier also walruss, walrusch), Sw. hvalross, valross (valruss), Da.
hvalros (earlier also hvalrusk), walrus; (ii) OE. horschwæl, early mod.G.
rosswal, russwal, Norw. russhval, walrus, ? OFr. rohal, rohart, rochal
(whence med.L. rohanlum, -allum) walrus-ivory; see RUEL.
The forms under (i) appear to be later than those under (ii) from which
they perh. arose (? in Du.) by metathesis on some analogy such as that of
Du. walvisch whale.

The interpretation of formation (ii) as 'horse-whale' (zoologically
improbable) appears to be only one of the various popular etymologies that
have influenced the forms of the word. Ultimately a confusion, either within
or outside the Scandinavian languages, has perhaps taken place between ON.
hrosshvalr a kind of whale, and rosmhvalr walrus. The latter is related
obscurely to ON. rosmall, Norw. rosmaal, rosmaar, Da. rosmær, -er, -ar
walrus, whence the scientific specific name rosmarus. See ROSMARINE2. Some
scholars have connected rosm- with ON., Icel. rostungr walrus, and assumed
relationship of both with ON. rau{edh}r RED. (Cf. RORQUAL and OHG. ros(a)mo
redness.) This is zoologically possible, but it seems more likely that rosm-
is a corruption of some non-Teut. word: cf. MORSE.]

OED

Cheers


Andy Horton.
glaucus@...
><< ( ( ( ' >
British Marine Life Study Society (formed 6 June 1990)
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Marine Wildlife of the North-east Atlantic Ocean Yahoo Group
New Group: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Glaucus

MARINE LIFE NEWS BULLETIN TORPEDO
http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Torpedo2.htm
New Image Uploading Service:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/glaucus/
><< ( ( ( ' >