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Sacha[_3_] · 16-08-2008, 11:27 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

On 16/8/08 21:55, in article ,
"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote:

The message
from (Nick Maclaren) contains these words:
In article ,
David Rance writes:
|
| So the damson is known here but the French appear to refer to it simply
| as a variety of plum. Having looked it up in Collins-Robert it is
| slightly more helpful, calling it a "prune de damas" (a Damascus plum -
| damson would appear to be a corruption of this).

Well, it IS just a variety of plum! And, yes, that's its origin.
The French terms that I find a a bit odd are where the same word
is used for two items that are used very differently - groseille
being an example.

And English (to include USanian) is little better, if at all: think 'muffin'?

I've only every known groseille as gooseberry so David's post is very
enlightening. But most of my 'French leave' has been in Normandy and
Brittany which might explains that perhaps.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon