W. R. Gibbons wrote:
>
> On Sat, 8 Feb 1997, John McEwen wrote:
>
> > Hi Ray:
> >
> > The Magnette is diminutization of the Magna which was a sporting sedan
> > produced by MG in the thirties. The original car - the F1 Magna - was
>
> Thanks for the history lesson. Now Americans, starting with the latin
> premise, would not have rested until they had produced a Summa and a
> Summette.
>
> Ray Gibbons Dept. of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics
> Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, VT
> gibbons@northpole.med.uvm.edu (802) 656-8910
Oh, boy, I love it. One could go on and on letting one's imagination
run riot, if names of vehicles are so important, as obviously they are.
Barracuda, Stingray, Corvette (why Corvette,and not Corvet??) To my mind
the first two imply naked aggressive power. Can you imagine a Morris
Great White for instance? Or an MG Moray?? I suppose one could take
the Latin thing a bit further, and decline Magna for instance. i.e.
Magna, Magna, Magnum, etc., Now, there's a name:- the MG Magnum.
Implies size, smoothness, power and a heady exhilerating potency, not
unlike a good bottle of champers.
I have to say that a Morris Oxford or an Austin Cambridge really doesn't
hack it.
Geoff Love.
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