Re: phonology of borrowed words

Florian Rivoal scripsit:

> But when does this reputation come from? Its fame is impressive,
> world wide (except in england maybe, where we can be frogs before being
> romantic)
As for frogs, that term was originally applied to Parisians by other
French people.  Paris is, after all, mostly a built-up swamp.
(So are parts of Manhattan.)

I remember reading somewhere that when Louis XIV
wanted to take the temperature of the Parisian mob, he would ask
his ministers "What do the frogs think?"

--
John Cowan   jcowan@reutershealth.com  http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
Most languages are dramatically underdescribed, and at least one is
dramatically overdescribed.  Still other languages are simultaneously
overdescribed and underdescribed.  Welsh pertains to the third category.
        --Alan King