Fact or fiction

[corydoras]

nursejudy:

 

zoot alors!

 

Miss Muffett was a 16th century little girl called Patience whose father was called Muffett or Mouffett,who was a renown entymologist,

Much as it pains me to gainsay the words of a member of the fair sex, a diversion that is at it's best otiose, at worst pernicious, I feel I must disaccord with you somewhat.

 

The real entomologist was a geezer called Thomas Penny.

 

Thomas Penny was born in Lancashire around about 1532. None of his written works have been preserved unfortunately, and what we know of them are only from quotes in the works of his contemporaries, although many of his drawings of animals and plants are preserved as they were included in the works of other writers of the period.

 

When he died he left one of his manuscripts and a whole rake of drawings to his friend Thomas Moufet. Very soon after the death of his friend Mr Moufet published his 'own' book on entymology.

 

Thomas Moufet was indeed the father of young Patience of nursery rythme fame. He was more plagiarist than an entomologist though.

 

You can have a look at this web page on the Lancaster EDNET web server for the whole story.

Thomas Penny the first English Entomologist

 

 

Corydoras

 

[ 11. March 2003, 06:07 PM: Message edited by: corydoras ]

[nursejudy]

I bow to superior search engines for Miss Muffett

What about Humble Pie and Rule of thumb.

 

Anyone know the origins of April Fools Day?

I admit defeat on littlte boy blue :mad:

nursejudy

[Paul_D]

So where did the phrase "In quarantine" derive from?

[Paul_D]

quote:

---

What about Humble Pie and Rule of thumb.

---

'Eating humble pie'

 

To eat humble pie means to be humiliated, to admit others know best or are superior in some way.

 

The saying comes from the days when the Lord of the Manor and his fellow huntsmen feasted on the spoils of their day's hunting. They ate prime venison, while the servants and other of low standing had to make do with a pie made from the umbles of the deer - its entrails, liver and heart.

[nursejudy]

spot on paul.

according to my source Quarantine may be Jewish from the practice of seperating contagious people for forty days, in the 14 th century the italians took up the practice in the days of the plague after the jews were seen to far better using the quarantine method.

still no advance on April Fools Day.

 

bon chance

judy

[ayjay]

......also known as all fools day,some info here:-

 

http://www.web-holidays.com/fools/

[corydoras]

nursejudy:

I bow to superior search engines for Miss Muffett

My 'search engine' is firmly ensconced within my dura mater. I only used Google to confirm the dates and to find some material from a half decent source to back up my digital diarrhoea.

 

Corydoras

[corydoras]

nursejudy:

spot on paul.

according to my source Quarantine may be Jewish from the practice of seperating contagious people for forty days, in the 14 th century the italians took up the practice in the days of the plague after the jews were seen to far better using the quarantine method.

still no advance on April Fools Day.

 

bon chance

judy

I'll go along with that, though not sure about the Jewish bit your etymology is spot on.

 

Quarantine. From the Italian quaranta giorni, from Latin for 40 days, quadra ginta.

 

Another one with maritime roots.

 

The amount of time, originally of forty days, during which a ship arriving in port, and suspected of being infected a malignant contagious disease, is obliged to forbear all intercourse with the shore; also the anchorage where infected or prohibited vessels are stationed.

 

Sourire, il fait beau aujourd'hui.

 

Corydoras

[nursejudy]

Who or what was the Real McCoy?

that shouldn't take long.

 

Is there a new direction we could take this thread or just plod on,

 

Did anyone used to play marbles or conkers after school....just a thought for a new direction..

 

 

quell heure est-il?

judite

[wotawoppa]

I used to build canoes after school with our maths teacher. During break and lunch we would play poker..best days of me life..

 

The real Mcoy... a phrase coined by Captain James T Kirk methinks during the episode entitled..will the real doctor please stand up.

 

Ouvre la porte