Etymology and Extracts

As noted on this blog's initial post, the "Preface to Abridging Moby Dick" I don't abridge these materials, but replace them outright. See the Preface for a link to the original.

Etymology

 

·      From Wiktionary

 

·      As Noun: From Middle English whale, from Old English hwæl (“whale”), from Proto-West Germanic *hwal, from Proto-Germanic *hwalaz (“whale”) (compare German Wal, Swedish val, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål hval, Norwegian Nynorsk kval; compare also Dutch walvis, West Frisian walfisk, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kʷálos (“sheatfish”) (compare German Wels, Latin squalus (“big sea fish”), Old Prussian kalis, Ancient Greek ἄσπαλος (áspalos), Avestan (kara, “kind of fish”)).

 

·      As Verb: Uncertain. Perhaps a variant of wale influenced by whack, whap, etc.

 

Extracts

 

 

·      From Merriam-Webster

 

·      The Rams would have to go on a whale of a run to play themselves back into the picture. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023

 

·      No, despite their large size and the 'whale' in their name, whale sharks are not mammals. Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 8 Jan. 2024 <and Mr. Melville, whales are not ‘fish’ –DHF>

 

·      Either the whale dove at the last minute or the recording device slipped off the whale’s back and had to be fished out of the water. Elizabeth Kolbert, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023

 

·      Watch whales with an ocean view from the living room and cook delicious meals in the gourmet kitchen. oregonlive, 27 June 2023

 

·      The death of that whale followed the deaths of seven whales in New Jersey and New York in a little over a month. Wayne Parry, Baltimore Sun, 18 Jan. 2023

 

·      On the first day, the family butchered the whale and divided the meat into two piles. Alena Naiden, Anchorage Daily News, 14 Sep. 2023

 

·      The Final Four swallows all of it up, like whales eat winnows. Josh Criswell, Chron, 3 Apr. 2023

 

·      The women cheer and caress the whale, whose mouth continues to hang open. Ferris Jabr, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2024

 

·      According to the study, the whale is a member of the basilosaurid group, a family of extinct cetaceans. Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 2 Aug. 2023

 

·      But like in the great Herman Melville novel, the pursuit of the great white whale might end up dooming the voyage, not the whale. John Shu, National Review, 5 Aug. 2023

 

·      Two summers ago, Lowry was the one coming in as an aging whale. Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2023

 

 

·      Each of the whale’s massive vertebrae weighed more than 200 pounds. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Aug. 2023

 

·      Behind the scenes and underneath the hood, the contract might have been swallowed up like a fish into the mouth of a whale. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 27 Jan. 2023

 

·      The storm around his boat one evening didn’t concern him, but the hole a whale or shark put in his boat’s hull in the middle of the night amid the storm surely did.  John Wenz, Popular Mechanics, 7 July 2023

 

·      Four baby whales and an adult were killed during the capture. Amanda Lee Myers, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2023

 

·      Meat racks, umiak frames and the occasional pincer of whale bones poked out of the snow dunes. Zachariah Hughes, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Mar. 2023

 

·      Jonah and the whale (of a slump breaker) A couple of days off did, in fact, seem to do Jonah Heim some good. Evan Grant, Dallas News, 27 Aug. 2023

 

·      The cause of death for the second whale, a 37-foot male that appeared to be in good condition, is still unknown. Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 May 2023

 

·      Simmons says the local Icelandic whales saw him as a threat and treated him as such. Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2023

 

·      The research suggests the whales’ ability to repair DNA might be one of the keys to their longevity. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Dec. 2023

 

·      An earlier version of the story misidentified the length of the whale. oregonlive, 15 Jan. 2023

 

·      The stories featured the loon, whale, moose and other animals of the region. Mary Hudetz, ProPublica, 4 Dec. 2023

 

·      The left needs to make the case that by helping to decarbonize the economy, the IRA is protecting whales. Liza Featherstone, The New Republic, 15 Sep. 2023

 

·      Many people, though, say wind farm development is the cause of the whale strandings. Greg Wehner, Fox News, 23 Feb. 2023

 

·      Bit by bit, the great whale – which is in the running for the heaviest animal of all time – would have survived. Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 10 Aug. 2023

 

·      Scattered across the pages are whale stamps, each signifying a catch. Kate Armanini, BostonGlobe.com, 19 Apr. 2023

 

·      But the whale sighting triggered a different kind of response. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024

 

·      In early March, scientists shared details about an orca whale attack on a great white shark. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024

 

·      From ChatGPT 4o when asked: What are some quotes, made since 1852, that mention whales?

 

·      “I believe that when the last whale is killed, the ocean itself will begin to die.” Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, emphasizing the importance of whales in marine ecosystems.

 

·      “To the whale, his tail is the main engine of propulsion; to a nation, its culture is the propeller of its survival.” Anonymous proverb, often used in conservation and maritime studies to metaphorically link the whale’s tail to cultural endurance.

 

·      “Save the whales and the whales will save us.” A slogan from environmental movements in the 1970s and 1980s, highlighting the ecological importance of whale conservation.

 

·      “Whales are among the most intelligent and sensitive creatures on Earth. Yet, we hunt and exploit them.” Jane Goodall, drawing attention to the ethical and environmental implications of whaling.

 

 

·      From ChatGPT 4o when asked: Are there any notable quotes from the Star Trek movie in which gray whales saved the Earth?

·      ChatGPT 4o: Yes, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) features the memorable storyline where gray whales (actually, humpback whales in the film) play a pivotal role in saving Earth. Several notable quotes from the movie emphasize the significance of whales and humanity’s relationship with nature. Here are some examples:

 

o   “We’re not in the business of preserving extinct species.” Dr. Gillian Taylor, a marine biologist, commenting on the grim reality of humanity’s treatment of whales and other endangered species.

 

o   “You mean the extinction of whales has somehow affected the future?” Dr. Gillian Taylor, reacting to Captain Kirk’s explanation of why the crew of the Enterprise needs the whales.

 

o   “They are not the hell your whales!” Scotty, humorously defending the whales they intend to take back to the future, highlighting the crew’s protective attitude toward the animals.

 

o   “The sounds of humpback whales are the only thing that can respond to the alien probe.” Captain Kirk, underscoring the central role of the whales in saving humanity and Earth.

 

o   If we don’t tell the truth about the whales, they won’t survive.” Dr. Gillian Taylor, stressing the importance of honest communication about environmental issues to ensure the whales’ survival.

 

o   “There’s no way I’m letting those whales out of my sight!” Dr. Gillian Taylor, showing her dedication to the whales she’s been caring for, which symbolizes humanity’s responsibility to protect marine life.

 


 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:PWinter_WhalesAlive.jpg

Other media

https://biblioklept.org/tag/moby-dick/

 

Link to Chapter 1 Loomings.

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