It's the Elgar piece, probably with some LP box-set notes, that had me knowing about the mighty hunter. If asked yesterday I would have guessed Greek or Germanic mythology.

His Wikipedia page is fascinating.

Elgar's less popularly well known outside of the UK, so I'll go out on a limb and guess that the original inspiration for the Elmer Fudd reference was most probably the biblical one. At that time in the US, any churchgoing sort (and that would have been just about everyone) would have been familiar with the name even if the story didn't stick in the memory. And apparently it didn't, because it all went astray from there.

There's a small town in Minnesota called Nimrod, with a population of 69 as of the last census. The smart alecks would say small wonder; people are obviously too embarrassed to live in a town with a name like that. The citizens probably do get a fair amount of grief over it.

_________________
"Time is the wisest counselor of all." - Pericles

"I remain not entirely convinced of it." - Nano

Was watching a foodie show segment about an English-cuisine restaurant in the US; all the iconic items like fish and chips, roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, etc. are served up in veddy English fashion*, and the place does a brisk business. It's owned and run by an Englishman who missed his home fare - hence this little bit of England in the States - and doubtless the staff have ample exposure to Right Pond pronunciation standards, because the owner's usually there, and hands-on. Apparently there's a bit of tone-deafness on our part, though: a server announced a dish that included "Yorkshyre pudding".

We're incorrigible.




* Well, they do make a concession for those Yanks who will absolutely die without Tartar sauce for their fish. The very idea.

_________________
"Time is the wisest counselor of all." - Pericles

"I remain not entirely convinced of it." - Nano