Date: Mon, 1 Jan 1996 18:48:19 -0400

From: "E. Wayles Browne" ewb2[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CORNELL.EDU

Subject: Gumbo file'



The dictionaries I have at home (Webster's Collegiate 1973, OED 1 with

supplement, Longman Dict. of Contemporary English) don't list

file' (the ingredient of gumbo, made of sassafras root if I'm not

mistaken). Nor does the Nouveau Petit Larousse Illustre'. What

is its etymology? Is it a French loan in English?



Wayles Browne, Assoc. Prof. of Linguistics

Morrill Hall, Cornell University

Ithaca, New York 14853, U.S.A.

tel. 607-255-0712 (o), 607-273-3009 (h)

e-mail ewb2[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cornell.edu (1989 to 1993 was: jn5j[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cornella.bitnet //

jn5j[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cornella.cit.cornell.edu)