More on Kemosabe

[Laurence Horn]

At 12:17 PM -0500 2/15/08, Mark Mandel wrote:
>Is there any evidence for "kemo" = 'secret'?
>
>m a m

You mean it's not chemosabe?

LH

>On Fri, Feb 15, 2008 at 11:59 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:
>
>>  The following seems a pretty obvious speculation, but Cecil does not
>>  mention it.  There is in the OED "sabe n.  ...  slang (orig.U.S.)  =
>>  savvy n.  1872 B. Harte in Atlantic Monthly Mar. 352/2 Did n't hev no
>>  more sabe than to come round yar with sickness in the house and no
>>  provision.  1892 Kipling & Balestier Naulahka 273 You have been
>>  romping around for six months after something you hadn't the sabe to
>>  hold when you'd got.  1913 J. London Valley of Moon 311 We ain't got
>>  the sabe, or the knack, or something or other.
>>
>>  How about "kemosabe" = secret knowledge -- that is, someone who has
>>  knowledge of things not known to others?  A scout.
>>
>>  One might also speculate about the name Kamp Kee-Mo Sah-Bee:  Appeal
>>  to insiders -- we have special knowledge that you don't.
>>
>>  Joel
>>
>>
>
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