Names of winds in mainland Catalan. Lexical creativity and territory

On the basis of data drawn from various different sources (specialized studies, linguistic atlases such as the ALPI and the ALDC, dictionaries such as the DCVB), we offer a sample of the names of winds found in mainland Catalan which contain specific territorial references. After a general introduction to these kind of names in the region, there follows a geographical classification based on local phenomena, including references to toponyms (and any types of ellipses in these) and names that provide additional information about the inhabitants of an area. We also consider the implications of references to orography (mountains, straits, expanses of water, seas), along with many other components of traditional culture (especially agriculture). The lexical creativity underlying these names is manifest in the resourcefulness shown in their composition, and in the use made of metonymy and personification. Furthermore, its presence in so many proverbs suggests the need for a detailed study of sayings and popular meteorology.