--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "ualarauans" <ualarauans@...> wrote:
> ......<fournet.arnaud@> wrote:
> >
> > it reads : olifant = slan
>
> It's Russian slon, probably < Turkic a[r]slan
>
******
I know there was confusion in parts of Medieval Europe between the
elephant and the camel, as strange large beasts in far off lands,
sometimes domesticated as beasts of burden,(Gothic 'ulbandus' "camel"
for example), but it's harder to see confusion of elephants with lions
(I take it the Turkish word refers just to the latter).
Dan