Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2022 January 18

= January 18 =

Vespina?
The RAF's long-haul VIP transport aeroplane has been named Vespina. This name seems to refer to a rather dull and scruffy moth found only in California, but is there another meaning of the name that I'm missing? Alansplodge (talk) 20:18, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
 * In Italian, it would likely be understood as the diminutive of vespa, "wasp". Not sure if that helps -- the pictures don't look like a "little wasp", at least not to me.  --Trovatore (talk) 20:24, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
 * Per : "The RAF refers to the aircraft as “Vespina”, from Operation VESPINA, the name for A330 Voyager VIP missions." Which just moves the question one step back. Possibly taken from a pre-defined list? --Verbarson talkedits 21:14, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
 * A UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokeswoman says ELLAMY has been randomly generated by a computer programme. It's how all military operations are named and it's done this way so the name doesn't relate in any way to the action.  Alansplodge (talk) 22:06, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
 * That explains it then. I also found that it's the name of female character in a 1778 comic opera, L'infedeltà delusa which a Wikipedia search failed to pick up. Many thanks all. Alansplodge (talk) 22:06, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
 * The planned operation to take Phuket in 1945 was codenamed Roger. Makes you proud to be British. DuncanHill (talk) 22:17, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
 * In the 1950s, there was an attempt to revive the Home Guard in case of a Soviet invasion, The first major exercise was officially named "Operation Lumbago" by some comedian at the War Office, leading to much ridicule in the press and a sudden drop in recruitment. Alansplodge (talk) 22:29, 18 January 2022 (UTC)
 * So Operation You Sexy Thing should lure people in in droves? Clarityfiend (talk) 23:42, 19 January 2022 (UTC)