LL-L "Etymology" 2009.09.29 (01) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 29 September 2009 - Volume 01
lowlands at lowlands-l.net - http://lowlands-l.net/
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From: Jonny <jonny.meibohm at arcor.de>
Subject: LL-L "Literature"

Dear Lowlanners,

at the moment I'm reading "The Chronicles of Clovis" by SAKI (H. H. Munro)
(I try it in English, though I have to read all of it at least twice to be
able to deal with the whole of his pitchdark humor).

One of the stories is titled 'Esmè', which is the name of a hyaena.

I wonder if this name subliminally shall mean "eat me", and, if my suspicion
is correct, where did he borrough it from? If I had to invent the same in
German (slang) I should come upon something like "Essmì" - just a hap?

Thanks in award for your answers, which may enlighten one of the darkest but
finest chapters of British black humor ;-)!

Allerbest!

Jonny Meibohm
Lower Saxony, Germany

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