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- Path: sparky!uunet!olivea!bu.edu!wang!wizvax!buscard!dand
- From: dand@buscard.fidonet.org (Dan Davidson)
- Newsgroups: alt.usage.english
- Subject: Re: shrew, as in taming o
- Message-ID: <gate.XFkioB1w164w@buscard.fidonet.org>
- Date: 26 Jul 92 10:03:08 GMT
- Lines: 21
- X-Maildoor: WaflineMail 1.00r
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-
- => In a message to All on 07-22-92 19:18 Joanne Eglash said:
-
- JE> What is the origin of the word "shrew," as in "The Taming of..."?
- JE> I have checked some references, and they seem to vary.
-
- A shrew is a small, rodent-like carnivore with a very high metabolic
- rate and a nasty disposition, consequently not a likely pet. In size
- alone, it shoudn't be threatening, but don't try to make nice.
-
- Calling Katherine a shrew is just using a nasty analogy on a virago.
-
- Not to be confused with a tree shrew, which is a primitive species of
- primate.
-
- -- Dan --
-
-
- ... THINK! or thwim.
- --- Blue Wave/QWK v2.10
-
-