flattering metaphors ...

[Jean FEZAS]

In modern Nepali*, the word loTe** (meaning 'carrier of the loTA') is commonly used as an equivalent of the french 'lèche-cul'. The loTA is the water-pot made of copper used for ablutions after defecation***. The idea, it seems, is that the flatterer cleans (or helps to clean) the flattered of the stinking (and, in the hindu context, extremely impure) remnants of his activity.

J.F.
*RL Turner, dictionary of the nepali language p. 562 sv loTA renvoie à lohoTA (ibid. 563b) 'A small metal water-pot'; ** The final -e is used in a contemptuous manner in Nepali (cf. sAle, etc.); *** Defecation is ritually obligatory for a hindu before the other occupations of the day; the use of water for purification after 'answering the calls of nature' is regulated by the smRti texts (Manu, etc.).

> Message du 26/12/06 23:33
> De : "Richard Salomon" 
> A : INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
> Copie à : 
> Objet : Re: flattering metaphors ...
> 
> I don't know of any such offhand, but if there is, a likely source would be 
> Ksemendra's satires.
> 
> Rich Salomon
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jan E.M. Houben" 
> To: 
> Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2006 5:23 AM
> Subject: flattering metaphors ...
> 
> 
> > The following request reached the Indology
> > Committee, I forward it to the list.
> >
> > *** *** *** *** ***
> >
> > Dear Committee,
> >
> > I am a Ph. D. candidate at Columbia University,
> > Italian Department. I am
> > writing a dissertation on Dante's Inferno and I
> > would need the help of
> > the scholars of your forum. As you know in
> > Dante's Hell we find very
> > explicit images and expressions. I would need to
> > know if in Oriental
> > languages (especially Sanskrit) you find any
> > equivalent of the vulgar
> > contumely addressed to flatters that we find in
> > all Europena languages,
> > which associate the act of flattering to
> > excrements (brown noser, leche
> > cul, lame culos, Arschkriecher etc.) After a long
> >
> > search I found a carme
> > from Catullus (98) which uses the expression
> > "culos lingere" applied to
> > a "verbosus" man. This is a great piece of
> > evidence that the expression
> > existed in Latin in association to flattery and
> > that it is indeed
> > ancient. But I don't know if any similar
> > expression exists in Greek,
> > Sanskrit or Oriental languages. Sanskrit would be
> >
> > of the highest
> > importance for me. Do you happen to know about
> > the existence of a such
> > an expression? Any help would be most
> > appreciated!!!!!
> > Thank you very much in advance.
> >
> > Daniela Castelli
> >
> >
> >
> > __________________________________________________
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> 
>