Munchausen

[Baker, John]

        According to Wikipedia, in the 19th century, the story underwent
expansions and transformations by many notable authors, so it would not
be surprising if this language was added later.  I believe the Dore
edition may have been published in 1895.  Perhaps someone has access to
the original 1785 Rudolf Raspe edition.

        There have been Esquimaux in the United States since 1867, when
Alaska was purchased from Russia.  There were, therefore, none in 1785.
This does not seem a point on which Raspe would have insisted on strict
accuracy.


John Baker


-----Original Message-----
From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf
Of James A. Landau
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 9:45 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Munchausen

Thanks to the people who straightened out my confusion about the dating
of "Black liberation".

Now for another *apparent* anachronism that has me confused.

In an ADS-L thread about "bootstraps" starting August 28, 2005, there is
a consensus that "Baron Munchausen" appeared in English in 1785.

However, Chapter Thirty-First "Arriving in North America, we were
received by the President of the United States with every honor and
politeness.  He was pleased to give us all the information possible
relative to the woods and immense regions of America, and ordered trops
of the different tribes of the Esquimaux to guide us..."

(Another anachronism: there were no "Eskimos" in the United States until
1959.  Also, what is the plural of "Inuit", or is it its own plural?)

Well, as trivia buffs will tell you, under the Articles of Confederation
the head of the Continental Congress had the title "President of the
United States in Congress Assembled", but I find it unlikely that Raspe,
generally considered to be the author of Munchausen, would have been
aware of the official title of a functionary in the ex-colonies,
particularly since he was a recent immigrant to England.

It is possible that my edition of Munchausen (published by Grosset &
Dunlap, with Gustav Dore illustrations, but with no publication date) is
a later edition modified since 1785.

Aside:  "white people have no souls", which I have been using as a
closing, is from Chapter Twenty-Fourth of Munchausen.

    - Jim Landau

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org