LL-L: "Meals" (was "Etymology") [E] LOWLANDS-L, 27.JUL.1999 (01)

[R. Hahn]

Peter,

I think this one should remain in the private communication realm because
it has nothing to do with Lowlands-L.  How about sending it privately to
Ed?

Regards,

Ron

On Thu, 29 Jul 1999, Peter Stornebrink wrote:

> >From: Edwin Michael Alexander [edsells at wwwebcity.com]
> >Subject: LL-L: "Etymology" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 26.JUL.1999 (01)
> >
> >In Reply to: Dale Nicklas [dnicklas at sirinet.net]
> >>Subject: Dinner and Supper
> he name of the repast is identical.
> [snip]
> >
> >Forgive me for digressing from the Lowlands field, but I cannot help but be
> >reminded of the famous exchange of notes between Friedrich II and Voltaire.
> > You'll have to know French to decipher this:
> >
> >Friedrich, writing to Voltaire:       p                                 ci
> >                                                        ___               a
> >         _____
> >                                                       venez
> >          sans
> >
> >Voltaire, in reply:                         J         a
> >
> >
> >Ed Alexander
> 
> I seem to recall this being a footnote in a French textbook in highschool.
> My recollection is that the author was Victor Hugo and the reply, from his
> friend, was a bit different. It went as follows:
> 
>    P		         ci
> ------		a      ------
> Venez	              Sans
> 
> meaning:  (Venez souper a Sanssouci)
> 
> Sanssouci was the name of the mansion of Victor Hugo (or was it Voltaire?).
> I am not sure exactly how it was spelled, perhaps as 'Sans Souci' or
> 'Sansouci'.
> 
> The reply was:
> 
> 	Ga
> 
> meaning: ('G' grande, 'a' petite), sounding like: J'ai grande apétit.
> 
> Ed, what was the meaning of 'Ja'?
> 
> Peter Stornebrink
> 
> 
> 
>