Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a brain teaser based on translations of names that Native American people gave to various lunar months. For example, since lupines tend to howl more at the moon in the middle of winter, what’s the nickname for the full moon in January? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Native American Month Name Word Game”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.
I’m Martha Barnette.
And I’m Grant Barrett, and we’re joined by our quiz guide, John Chaneski from New York City.
Hi, John.
Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha.
Hi.
I decided that if this week’s quiz is not the most difficult, then it would at least be the most educational. It’s all about the moon.
Okay?
Okay.
Early Native American tribes recorded time by keeping track of the seasons and the lunar months. As such, they gave nicknames to each of the full moons that occurred during different parts of the seasons.
Now, one example, you might remember this from the news at the start of 2019, lupines tended to howl more at the moon in the middle of winter, so the full moon in January is known by what nickname?
The wolf moon.
The wolf moon, right. We had a super full blood wolf moon in the beginning of 2019.
Now, let’s see if you know some of the others. February is so deep in the season that much of the food put aside for the winter might run low, so the full moon is given what nickname?
The barren moon?
No. How do you feel?
Empty? Empty moon? Hungry moon? Stuffed?
Starved moon?
It is the full hunger moon.
The hunger moon.
In February, yes. Very good.
In March, we start to see robins appear. That’s because they’re looking for food now that the frozen earth has thawed, so the full moon in March is given what nickname?
The worm moon.
Yes, the full worm moon.
Yes, exactly. That’s how it works.
So these are real names.
These are actual, yeah.
Okay, great.
Yes, they are not.
Wow, these somehow escaped me until now. This is wonderful.
Now, the nickname for the full moon in May is not surprising. It parallels nicely with a very common saying about April and May that most of us are familiar with. What’s that nickname?
Shower?
Rain moon?
That’s April. What happens in May?
The flower moon?
Yes, the full flower moon.
John Lennon could tell you that fields of ripening fruit in June give its full moon its nickname. What is it?
Strawberry moon.
Yes, the full strawberry moon in June.
Antlers hit their full growth in June, leading to July’s full moon name. It’s got nothing to do with dollars.
Buck moon?
Yes, the full buck moon.
That’s July.
Corn and barley and other crops are ripe in September and October, which inspires what nickname that gained fame due to a pop standard from Tin Pan Alley and the Ziegfeld Follies era?
Isn’t that Harvest Moon?
Yes, the full Harvest Moon. Very good.
The leaves are falling in October, and the previously mentioned buck are fat, which means both people and the previously mentioned wolves are looking for game, inspiring what nickname?
The Hunter’s Moon.
The full hunter moon, yes.
The full cold moon is in December. That’s no surprise. But the days are getting shorter, too, naturally leading to a complementary occurrence that inspires what nickname?
Ice moon?
Now, the days are getting shorter.
Long night moon.
Dark moon.
Yes, the long night’s moon.
Oh, really?
The full long night’s moon.
Just making these up.
No, you’re making up a correct answer, so congratulations.
You guys did fantastic. You guys get top marks on moon studies.
All right.
We’ll talk to you next week, bud.
Talk to you then.
Bye-bye.
Bye.
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