"Jimbo"; was: Yumbo

[Laurence Horn]

At 2:09 PM -0400 8/5/07, Douglas G. Wilson wrote:
>>I thought "Jimbo" derives from "Jim boy."
>
>If anybody knows one way or the other, it ain't me.
>
>But regardless of whether this is true or not, I think the "-m" just
>somehow calls for a "-bo".

Additional (partial) evidence for this:  A lot of Kims seem to become
Kimbos.  But then some if not most of them (especially those of the
female persuasion) are officially "Kimberl(e)y".  Less equivocal is
Tim --> Timbo.

LH

>
>You'll encounter Jimbo and Tombo and Sambo (which is sometimes a
>special case, and possibly was a special case originally).
>
>You won't encounter (at least not very often) Johnbo, Joebo, Billbo
>(outside Tolkien), Jerrybo, Dougbo, etc.
>
>Maybe "Jimbo" and "yumbo" have "Jumbo" or "Sambo" or something as a model?
>
>-- Doug Wilson
>
>
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