# Délibáb



## ausermilar

Hello,

I've tried to understand the supposed link between "dél" (South), "báb" (puppet) and "mirage" that my dictionary exposes (with even a picture of sandy landscapes), but I still don't see what's the role of the puppet that comes from the South to describe this optical phenomenon called "mirage".

Could you help me?


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## tomtombp

Dél doesn't only mean South, it also means noon/midday. It is when the sun is in its highest position. Calling it a báb probably indicates that it is not real, even though it looks real, it is just an illusion. Puppet vs a real person?


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## Zsanna

Interesting question. According to my one language dictionary, it comes from déli+_bába_ (= boszorkány= witch, the final "a" disappeared with the use). 
How *midday* (agreeing with tom)+ *witch* gives _mirage_? 
As the midday sun is the strongest, it is most likely to produce this effect that "something seems to be there when, really, nothing is", which could be considered as a sort of a "boszorkányság"- meaning here: miracle/magic, a tricky, misleading occurrence.


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## tomtombp

Zsanna said:


> How *midday* (agreeing with tom)+ *witch* gives _mirage_?
> As the midday sun is the strongest, it is most likely to produce this effect that "something seems to be there when, really, nothing is", which could be considered as a sort of a "boszorkányság"


Yes, this makes sense to me.


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## francisgranada

ausermilar said:


> I've tried to understand the supposed link between "dél" (South) ....


Only for curiosity, according with the following explanation of _tomtombp _



tomtombp said:


> Dél doesn't only mean South, it also means noon/midday ....


I'd like to add that the portuguese term "_meridional_" (= *southern*)  derives from the Latin _meridies _that also means "midday, noon".


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## ausermilar

francisgranada said:


> Only for curiosity, according with the following explanation of _tomtombp _
> 
> 
> I'd like to add that the portuguese term "_meridional_" (= *southern*)  derives from the Latin _meridies _that also means "midday, noon".


Ok, but in Portuguese the mirage is called "miragem" without any allusion to midday, and in Spanish it's even "espejismo" (something that you see like in a mirror). So I guees that each language sees the mirage from a different point of view!


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## as84as

Definitely mirage
* A délibábok hőse* Hero of Mirages (Arany László)


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## Zsanna

Hello and welcome as48as 
Yes, I think we all agree about the translation.
Congratulation to_ A délibábok h*ő*se_, not many Hungarians know even the title.


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## as84as

Zsanna said:


> Hello and welcome as48as
> Yes, I think we all agree about the translation.
> Congratulation to_ A délibábok h*ő*se_, not many Hungarians know even the title.


I simply learned Hungarian here in Italy at the University of Udine.
Unfortunately I am no more fluent (A recently written autotest result was B1) I strongly need of speaking it


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