-------- Original Message --------
jansymello wrote:
> Jack (J.A.R) wrote: "Americans...for whom the phrase is, "King
Queen,
> Jack" (and no "dames" please)... our non-American friends need to
know
> that the term "Knave" is a non-American usage...
>
Jansy:I had already wondered about the "Knave" in the English title (
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
and its depreciatory meaning). Following the criteria of
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> the Nabokocenterd L-test, I promise to show in the end why I
selected
> this long reference from an internet search:
> Wikipedia informed me that as early as the mid-1500s the jack was
called
> the knave. A knave is a male servant of royalty. Throughout the
1400s,
> 56-card decks containing a King, Queen, Knight, and Valet were
common.
Let's also rememer that English "varlet" (a variant spelling of "valet)
arising by the vagaries of r-less and r-ful dialects in contact), has
a "deprecatory meaning" not unlike that of "knave".
Joa~o (my computer won't let my tilda dance over above the 'o')