Great topic. Great educational day. Here's what I've found (also wikipedia).
The term Indian summer has been used for more than two centuries. The earliest known use was by French American writer St. John de Crevecoeur <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_de_Cr%C3%A8vecoeur> in rural New York <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York> in 1778. There are several theories as to its etymology <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymology> : * It may be so named because this was the traditional period during which early North Americans First Nations <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Nations> /Native American <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States> harvested their crops. * In The Americans, The Colonial Experience, Daniel J. Boorstin <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_J._Boorstin> speculates that the term originated from raids on European colonies by Indian war parties; these raids usually ended in autumn, hence the extension to summer-like weather in the fall as an Indian summer. Indeed, two of the three other known uses of the term in the 18th century are from accounts kept by two army officers leading retaliation expeditions against Indians for raids on settlers in Ohio <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio> and Indiana <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana> in 1790, and Pennsylvania <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania> in 1794.[1] <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_summer#_note-0> * It could be so named because the phenomenon was more common in what were then North American Indian territories, as opposed to the Eastern Seaboard <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Coast_of_the_United_States> . * It may be of Asian Indian origin rather than North American Indian. H. E. Ware, an English writer, noted that ships traversing the Indian Ocean loaded their cargo most often during the Indian summer, or fair weather season. Several ships actually had an "I.S." on their hull at the load level thought safe during Indian summer. * Others link the term to the racial stereotype of Indian giver <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_giver> , the practice of giving and then demanding back. ________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Robert Moore Sent: Monday, October 01, 2007 5:19 PM To: The Moscow Expat List Subject: RE: Expat List Two questions Hi Tom, I am not sure there is a connection with babushki in this phrase (or it has been lost over time) but it is much like what we in the US call "Indian Summer." I have never heard an explanantion as to why a late summer is connected to Indians. Let me hear from you. Regards, Bob Moore ________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [email protected] Date: Sun, 30 Sep 2007 11:32:18 +0400 Subject: Expat List Two questions 1 Does anyone know why this wonderful weather is known here as 'Babye leta'. I found out that Czech has the same expression and it is very similar in German. What is the connection with old ladies? 2 We have some French friends who are third generation Russian émigrés and they want to trace their family in pre revolutionary Moscow where the family tradition has it that they were owners of one of the largest shops. How could we begin to find out about commerce in Moscow: are there lists of businesses or the such like? If available on the internet, it would be best, but a simple Google search turned up nothing of great interest. Tom Manson ________________________________ Explore the seven wonders of the world Learn more! <http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=7+wonders+world&mkt=en-US&form=QBRE> ************************************************************ This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is intended only for use by the addressee(s) named herein and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail, and any attachments thereto, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify me by replying to this message and permanently delete the original and any copy of this e-mail and any printout thereof. For additional information about Chadbourne & Parke LLP and Chadbourne & Parke, a multinational partnership, including a list of attorneys, please see our website at http://www.chadbourne.com
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