From: vnend@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (D. W. James)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: "remove", origins of the word as used in SCA
Date: 14 Apr 92 16:50:33 GMT
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@ernie.Princeton.EDU

Arval writes:
}> And, by the way, speaking of feasts, someone recently mentioned the
}> "remove" was not a period term.  What was, and why is a "remove" called a
}> "remove", anyway.
 
}A course was called a course, just like today.  I'm not sure of the origin
}of "remove" in the SCA sense; perhaps it was invented by the Victorians.
}Maybe Kwellend-Njal will check the OED for us...
 
Well, earlier than Victorian, but not by a lot...

  c The act of taking away a dish or dishes at a meal in order to put
others in their place; hence, a dish thus removed, or brought on in
place of one removed.
  1771 B. FRANKLIN in M. Farrand Benjamin Franklin's Mem.  (1949) 124/1
Every Man at the first Remove, found under his Plate an Order on a
Banker.1773 JOHNSON (ed. 4) Remove, a dish to be changed while the rest
of the course remains. 1820 Hermit in London IV.  161 Two courses and
removes, consisting of about 30 dishes. 1828 Lights & Shades I. 236 A
very genteel dinner,..with a remove, and an excellent dessert. 1852
THACKERAY Shabby Genteel Story iii, The maid..brought in that remove of
hashed mutton.

So we are do appear to be using it differently than the original meaning.

While I was at it, I decided to check on 'course', and found the following:

  5 The rush together of two combatants in battle or tournament; charge,
onset; a passage at arms, bout, encounter.  Obs. or Hist.
  C. 1325 Coer de L. 454 What knyght was he that rode best cours?  1375
BARBOUR Bruce xviii. 316 Till thame all ane courss he maiss. C. 1420
Avow. Arth. xxiv, Take thi schild and thi spere And ride to him a course
on werre. C. 1450 Merlin xxvii. 511 And at foure cours thei haue hem
perced thourgh. 1568 GRAFTON Chron. II. 292 Eyther of them set hys
speare in the rest to have runne the first course. 1588 Let. in Harl.
Misc. (Malh.) II. 77 The Earl himself..horsed and armed did run very
many courses, and especially..as they call it `the course of the field'
which I had never seen before.

and

  26 Each of the successive parts or divisions of a meal, whether con-
sisting of a single dish, or of a set of dishes placed upon the table at
once.
  C. 1325 Coer de L. 3429 Fro kechene come the fyrste cours, With pypes,
and trumpes, and tabours. C. 1386 CHAUCER Sqr.'s T.  58 It nedeth nat
for to deuyse At every cours the ordre of hire servyse. C.  1477 CAXTON
Jason 119 How many course and how many dishes at euery cours ther were
seruid. 1599 MINSHEU Dial. Sp. & Eng.  (1623) 6 Bring us some Olives for
the third course. 1662 DRYDEN Wild Gallant I. i, I'll tell you the Story
between the Courses.  1773 GOLDSM. Stoops to Conq. 11, What's here?  For
the first course; for the second course; for the dessert. 1858 O. W.
HOLMES Aut. Breakf.-t. xi. 108 Like one returning thanks after a dinner
of many courses.

Which should make for some good puns now, as it doubtless did then...

Kwellend-Njal
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