[Magdalen] Timely c***noscopy query.

[ME Michaud]

I think I'd always assumed bums were called that because they sat around on
their bums, but then the word changed here.

It was also verbed, as in "Can I bum a cigarette?"

I have a vivid memory of my francophone Grammie rolling her eyes and
pronouncing "Eez jessa bum."
-M

On Thursday, June 2, 2016, Marion Thompson <marionwhitevale at gmail.com>
wrote:

> I have read that in North America bum and bummer derive from a German
> 'bummler', to stroll aimlessly, or something.  That would go along with
> '... I'm a bum' and the hobo connection.
>
>