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From: benson@dcdwest.UUCP (Peter Benson)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Love in tennis
Message-ID: <171@dcdwest.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 13-Feb-85 11:16:44 EST
Article-I.D.: dcdwest.171
Posted: Wed Feb 13 11:16:44 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 15-Feb-85 05:38:26 EST
References: <116@rtech.ARPA> <286@psivax.UUCP> <547@wlcrjs.UUCP> <20@cvl.UUCP>
Reply-To: benson@dcdwest.UUCP (Peter Benson)
Distribution: net
Organization: ITT Defense Communications (San Diego)
Lines: 22
Keywords: etymology
Summary: 


John Ciardi, in his book "A Browser's Dictionary", contends
that l'oeuf (Fr. egg) is not the source for love in tennis.
He says that egg has never been used for zero, in the way we
use goose egg.  Moreover, if it were borrowed from French,
then 'un oeuf' would have been the chosen form.

He suggests that it derives from the same source as

	'for love'	-	for nothing
	'not for love or money'
	'labor of love'

While these sources are not as satisfying to me esthetically,
I suspect they are closer to the truth.

-- 
                                _
Peter Benson                    | ITT Defense Communications Division
(619)578-3080                   | 10060 Carroll Canyon Road
decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!benson    | San Diego, CA 92131
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