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From: erkyrath@netcom.com (Andrew Plotkin)
Subject: Re: Curses..Demijohn
Message-ID: <erkyrathDynMvx.BL3@netcom.com>
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Date: Wed, 2 Oct 1996 15:26:21 GMT
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Estelle Souche (esouche@ens-lyon.fr) wrote:
> >OK. Fine. According to Webster, a demijohn is "a narrow-necked bottle of
> >glass or stoneware enclosed in a wickerwork and holding from 1-10 gallons."
> 
> In French it's a "Dame-jeanne" (lady-Jane, I wonder what is the origin
> of such a name??)

Webster also says "[by folk etymology fr. F dame-jeanne, lit., Lady 
Jane]". In other words, the French term came first, and the English term 
is a mutation of it.

You'll have to check French dictionaries to learn more, I guess.

--Z


-- 

"And Aholibamah bare Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah: these were the
borogoves..."
