I always wondered why the Mirkwood spiders were so enraged by Bilbo calling them "Attercop", since I know that "edderkopp" in Norwegian means simply spider.
Here's what I found in the internet:
Quote:
Atīter`cop
n. 1. A spider.
2. A peevish, ill-natured person.
source: Thefreedictionary.com
attercop
"spider," O.E. attorcoppa, lit. "poison-head," from ator
"poison,"
from P.Gmc. *aitra- "poisonous ulcer" (cf. O.N. eitr, Ger. eiter) +
cop "top, summit, round head," probably also "spider". (cf cobweb)
source: Online Etymology Dictionary
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