Modern Proverbs appeal

[Jonathan Lighter]

I heard the line ca1970 both as "kimosabe" and "white man," the former being more subtle.

  JL



James Harbeck <jharbeck at SYMPATICO.CA> wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: James Harbeck
Subject: Re: Modern Proverbs appeal
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>Poster: Dave Hause
>Subject: Re: Modern Proverbs appeal
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>Of course, there is the apocryphal response of Tonto to the Lone Ranger's
>observation, when seeing Indians on all the surrounding hilltops, "Tonto,
>we're in a heap of trouble."
>"What you mean we, white man?"

I know that one, only the line I know is "What do you mean 'we,'
paleface?" ("Paleface" being the typical term in westerns used by
Indians to refer to white men in general and not as friends --
whereas Tonto usually called the LR "kemosabe".) I use that line from
time to time when the situation is appropriate.

FWIW, I lived on an Indian reserve until my mid-teens and knew a lot
of Indian kids -- and rode the school bus and went to school with
them -- and my parents worked for and still have close ties to the
Stoney Indians, but I was not used to hearing "paleface" from them;
"white man" was in fact a more likely term (and I don't know what the
term would have been in their language). "Paleface" is just a
Hollywood reference. But I believe it was the term used in _The Lone
Ranger_, wasn't it?

James Harbeck.

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