Date:  Fri, 13 Oct 1995 15:05:33 -0400

From:  Fraser Sutherland <frasers[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]THE-WIRE.COM>

Subject: Rape! Canola.



Short of summoning the shades of the Prairie plant scientists who perfected

canola, could someone please settle for me the word's etymology? Oxford

says [< CAN(ADA) + -OLA < L oleum oil], Merriam-Webster's says [< CAN(ADA) +

O(IL) + L(OW) A(CID), and my source supposes [< CAN(ADA) + (C)OL(Z)A] (colza

being the summer rape plant). RHD 2 says canola is "of unexplained orig."

Overexplained, I'd say.