winter flies

Baris · 02-07-2005, 11:47 AM

hi everybody!

Could anyone tell me the meaning of "winter flies"?
I guess it's some sort of bug, but what is its figurative meaning when someone uses this phrase to speak about some people???

And how would you say that in French?

loads of thanks! :-)

Droops · 02-07-2005, 11:32 PM

Hi Senni,

a winter fly is an wing-less insect that mates in winter, therefore escaping usual spring and summer predators.
Latin name is Chionea / the French name Chionea alpina is "La mouche des neiges".
As to the figurative meaning.. your guess is as good as mine

Hoping this helps ...

Droops

Baris · 02-08-2005, 06:57 AM

many thanks Droops!
but I think I'd better not translate this litteraly, cos it's gonna sound too strange...

jackspeese · 02-08-2005, 12:54 PM

And here's a multilingual website with a picture of one: http://digilander.libero.it/enrlana/e_biosp5.htm and I'm sure there are other insects as well that are also called this. English is my native language, but I don't know what this term means when applied to people either...any context?

Baris · 02-08-2005, 02:21 PM

thanks for the pictures Jack!
well, in the context, it speaks about some people who are spiritually weak.
But it's a translated text, so it might very well have been ill translated...

Droops · 02-08-2005, 09:37 PM

Hello senni, jackspeese,

this is interesting. Having "Googled" this a bit, the winter fly appears to be good bait for trout (amongst other fish) in the US.

Is "good bait" closer to the "spiritually weak" or "feeble minded" ?
I mention this as I thought "spiritually" was used in a ... humm... "religious" context.

Sorry, more questions than answers ...

Droops

jackspeese · 02-09-2005, 01:00 PM

Hi Senni and Droops,
You're right, Droops, there are insects called winter flies, esp. winter stoneflies, that are good trout bait, it all depends upon what insect you are referring to...that's why we have scientific names, since the same common names are often used for many different critters.
I've never heard spiritually weak people referred to as flies of any kind in English, Senni. The closest "animal reference" that I can come up with that is even close to this context would be "spineless worm."

02-07-2005, 11:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
Baris International Forum Fan Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 671 Baris is learning to walk	winter flies hi everybody! Could anyone tell me the meaning of "winter flies"? I guess it's some sort of bug, but what is its figurative meaning when someone uses this phrase to speak about some people??? And how would you say that in French? loads of thanks! :-) __________________ Instant translation of sms/email/letter in Turkish/French/English (6 cents/word)
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02-07-2005, 11:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
Droops Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: France Posts: 33 Droops is an unknown character at this point	Hi Senni, a winter fly is an wing-less insect that mates in winter, therefore escaping usual spring and summer predators. Latin name is Chionea / the French name Chionea alpina is "La mouche des neiges". As to the figurative meaning.. your guess is as good as mine Hoping this helps ... Droops
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02-08-2005, 06:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
Baris International Forum Fan Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 671 Baris is learning to walk	many thanks Droops! but I think I'd better not translate this litteraly, cos it's gonna sound too strange... __________________ Instant translation of sms/email/letter in Turkish/French/English (6 cents/word)
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02-08-2005, 12:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
jackspeese International Forum Fan Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 497 jackspeese is on a distinguished road	And here's a multilingual website with a picture of one: http://digilander.libero.it/enrlana/e_biosp5.htm and I'm sure there are other insects as well that are also called this. English is my native language, but I don't know what this term means when applied to people either...any context?
(Offline)

02-08-2005, 02:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
Baris International Forum Fan Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 671 Baris is learning to walk	thanks for the pictures Jack! well, in the context, it speaks about some people who are spiritually weak. But it's a translated text, so it might very well have been ill translated... __________________ Instant translation of sms/email/letter in Turkish/French/English (6 cents/word)
(Offline)

02-08-2005, 09:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
Droops Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: France Posts: 33 Droops is an unknown character at this point	Hello senni, jackspeese, this is interesting. Having "Googled" this a bit, the winter fly appears to be good bait for trout (amongst other fish) in the US. Is "good bait" closer to the "spiritually weak" or "feeble minded" ? I mention this as I thought "spiritually" was used in a ... humm... "religious" context. Sorry, more questions than answers ... Droops
(Offline)

02-09-2005, 01:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
jackspeese International Forum Fan Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 497 jackspeese is on a distinguished road	Hi Senni and Droops, You're right, Droops, there are insects called winter flies, esp. winter stoneflies, that are good trout bait, it all depends upon what insect you are referring to...that's why we have scientific names, since the same common names are often used for many different critters. I've never heard spiritually weak people referred to as flies of any kind in English, Senni. The closest "animal reference" that I can come up with that is even close to this context would be "spineless worm."
(Offline)

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