Modern Proverbs appeal

[Wilson Gray]

I heard the line ca.1943 as "white man." Around the same time, I saw
"kimosabe" spelled as "kee-mo-sa-bay" in a Lone Ranger comic book. I
was totally confused by the  "-mo-" and the "-bay," since I'd always
heard the word as "keemasobby" [kim at sabi].

-Wilson

On 6/11/07, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Modern Proverbs appeal
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> >Sender: American Dialect Society
> >Poster: Dave Hause
> >Subject: Re: Modern Proverbs appeal
> >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >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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--
All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
-----
                                              -Sam'l Clemens

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