XPost: alt.books.cs-lewis, alt.usage.english   
   From: docrobin@ntlworld.com   
      
   On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 14:27:40 +0100, "Mike Lyle"   
    wrote:   
      
   >Steve Hayes wrote:   
   >> In the Puffin edition of "Prince Caspian" C.S. Lewis at one point   
   >> uses the term "hair-brained".   
   >>   
   >> I always understood that the correct term was "hare-brained", and   
   >> would have thought that a professor of English literature would know   
   >> the difference.   
   >>   
   >> Is this found in all editions, ot was it just a misprint?   
   >   
   >Google Books very surprisingly has 852 "hare-brained" and no fewer than   
   >757 "hair-brained". I'm sure the capillary version is a mistake, though   
   >clearly not always a typo. OED gives "hare-" as standard, but says "The   
   >spelling /hair-brain/, suggesting another origin for the compound, is   
   >later, though occasional before 1600."   
   >   
   >I've often seen hares being apparently hare-brained, and am quite   
   >confident that their behaviour is the origin.   
   >   
   >Got to love the following:   
   >"1566 T. STAPLETON Ret. Untr. Jewel IV. 109 The most outragious and   
   >harebrayne stomaches of the Donatistes." Hare-brained stomachs! I can't   
   >tell without context whether "stomach" is here stubbornness, "nerve", or   
   >even anger.   
   >   
   If the Rev Dodgson had included a March Hair in the tea party I'd have   
   complained to the waitress.   
   --    
   Robin    
   Herts, England    
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)