Literal or metaphor?

David Stockhoff · 15 Apr 2013, 12:16 · from 2013-April.txt.gz

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From: dstockhoff at verizon.net (David Stockhoff)
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2013 08:16:09 -0400
Subject: (urth) Literal or metaphor?
In-Reply-To: <BLU175-W21827C12C996EF855C6D97CFC30 at phx.gbl>
References: <BLU175-W21827C12C996EF855C6D97CFC30 at phx.gbl>
Message-ID: <516BEF89.7090609 at verizon.net>

On 4/14/2013 1:29 PM, Lee Berman wrote:
>> David Stockhoff- Granting, of course, that "bull" could designate a
>> moose as well as a steer. But I agree that Horn's family is named
>> around the animal *most *Earth people, especially around the
>> Mediterranean (and including the ancient Egyptians, thus influencing
>> Greek mythology), have used for leather, meat, and glue for thousands
>> of years. I'm curious what else Roy thought it might be.
> It was a number of years ago. But IIRC, the debate started when someone
> else speculated that the name of a certain character, (maybe Patera Bull
> or even Bison?) was suggestive of him being related to Horn. I think it
> was Roy's general contention that Vironese names were picked (by Wolfe)
> at random and any connections between them were personal inventions and
> shouldn't be to be used to find extra-curricular meaning. I remember asking
> Roy if he might concede that if not bovine then ungulate connections tied
> the male names of Horn's family together, but he never responded. That may
> have marked the end of Roy's participation on this board. A shame, but
> understandable.
>
> I think the Long Sun naming falls along the same lines as saint names in
> BotNS.  Some, like Dorcas, are clearly significant while most are not.
> Perhaps most of the plant and animal names of Viron were not picked with
> significant meanings but others like the Silk-Chenille-Tussah cluster or
> most obviously the Potto-Tarsier-Lemur, et al. group clearly were intended
> to imply connection.
>
> In addition to connections surely some names like Blood, Quetzal or Remora or Bison were meant to reflect certain obvious or hidden attributes of the individual, themselves. 		 	   		
>

I see. It does not seem to me something worth leaving a board over. The 
pattern doesn't seem to indicate anything in particular, story-wise.

I'm reminded of the old cliche that American Indians who followed the 
bison used every part of the animal. I'm sure the Egyptians did too, but 
the cliche has to do with the Indians. That would suggest both men are 
related to Horn.

Any thoughts on the significance of cattle/bison to Horn's family? They 
weren't cattle people; bison are undomesticated.

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