In a message dated 29/01/2007 20:00:23 GMT Standard Time, nabokv-l@UTK.EDU
writes:
Clearly not "American" (and unintelligible to most "unwashed"
Americans) for whom the pbrase is, "King Queen, Jack" (and no "dames"
please}.
Since "Knave" is presumably closely cognate with German "Knabe",
a more accurate translation into American would be King, Queen, Boy;
although "Boy" is, I suppose, quite unacceptable these days (cf the film
Casablanca, or the song Chattanooga-Choo-Choo). The Swedish is Kung, Dam, Knekt,
no doubt cognate with Knight; although Knekt, in Swedish, has been demoted to
servant, varlet or batman, not elevated to petty nobility, as in English. Not
that a nobleman needn't be a servant, depending on whom he serves. I seem to
recall that in English, I mean in England, the Jack, whether one-eyed or
two-faced, is also called a Knight. Or am I thinking of chess? And a
Swedish Dam is normally a Lady. All knowledge derives from
translation.
Charles