gordon@genrad.UUCP (Gordon Partridge) (11/08/83)
As a matter of record, the word Chauvinism stems from the name of a soldier in an ancient French epic poem (I don't recall the title). Monsieur Chauvin was a man who blindly followed the orders of his leader, even though the commanding officer was in the wrong. Hence a Chauvinist is one who, having espoused a cause, follows it without thinking or reason. A male chauvinist is one who believes anything the male of the species does is automatically "right;" a computer chauvinist is one who thinks only computers have any merit; etc. Gordon Partridge, GenRad, Inc., Mail Stop 98, Route 117, Bolton, MA 01740
roger@cornell.UUCP (Roger Hoover) (11/10/83)
Chauvinism Nicholas Chauvin was supposed to have been a soldier in Napoleon's army. After the downfall of his emperor, Chauvin displayed such exaggerated loyalty and patriotism that he was held up to ridicule. In 1831 the Cogniard brothers wrote a play, La Cocarde Tricolore, in which a young recruit named Chauvin sang couplets expressing enthusiasm for national supremacy and military glory. (Words Words Words, Marvin Zucherman) According to the story, Chauvin was awarded a sum of money from Napoleon for his injury and spent the rest of his life telling everyone how great Napoleon was.
debray@sbcs.UUCP (Saumya Debray) (11/12/83)
I'd thought Msr. Chauvin had been a blindly loyal follower of Bonaparte. --