Seawrack's name

Lee Berman · 30 Aug 2010, 11:37 · from 2010-August.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:37:26 -0400
Subject: (urth) Seawrack's name
Message-ID: <SNT123-W5955110B48DBC311A6CDBFCF890 at phx.gbl>

>Antonio- Everything is fine, except why the shipwreck
>maiden would be called 'shipwreck' or why 'shipwreck' would become 
>'seawrack'. I mean, of course one can find a connection, I just don't think 
>it's a polished one.

Well, if the "shipwreck" idea doesn't float (heh) perhaps it is something else.
None of the names I've found for the mythological sirens fit in.

Another guess on Seawrack's real name (spoken by both Seawrack and the Mother)
is "Sirenia". This is the scientific order name for manatees and dugongs. It
doesn't sound/look as similar as shipwreck. But it could then tie the Mother and
sirens to Abaia and the undines, who are often confused for manatees. Nice that it 
connects sirens and mermaids and Blue and Urth all together.

Perhaps "syrinx" is another outside possibility. It is the name for a bird's 
singing organ but also the mythological nymph who, in trying to escape rape by
Pan (Pas?) drowned and was turned into hollow reeds (hence the creation of the 
pan pipe).

Could Wolfe have had all three words in mind with Seawrack? Well, sigh, I dunno.
As long as it isn't screadhuidhe I am happy ;- ).

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