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Anonymous Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary
Leipzig Lil
Hi!
I would like to ask a question about this phrase that I've found in a book that I can't understand. The author describes a woman as "very short and imp-like". She's got pro-nazi inclinations (the book is set in WWII Britain). After a while, the woman is referred to as "Leipzig Lil" a man. I suppose that's a derogatory way of referring to her height (Lil). But I can't understand the reference to Leipzig. Is there some cultural reference that I can't grasp? Could you explain?
Thank you in advance.
I would like to ask a question about this phrase that I've found in a book that I can't understand. The author describes a woman as "very short and imp-like". She's got pro-nazi inclinations (the book is set in WWII Britain). After a while, the woman is referred to as "Leipzig Lil" a man. I suppose that's a derogatory way of referring to her height (Lil). But I can't understand the reference to Leipzig. Is there some cultural reference that I can't grasp? Could you explain?
Thank you in advance.
Top answer
I don't think so. I'm not aware of any special significance that Leipzig may have in this context, apart from the alliteration effect "L". However, if you find the book derogatory, then ditch it !.
- I don't think so.
- I'm not aware of any special significance that Leipzig may have in this context, apart from the alliteration effect "L".
- However, if you find the book derogatory, then ditch it !.
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5 Answers
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I don't think so. I'm not aware of any special significance that Leipzig may have in this context, apart from the alliteration effect "L".
However, if you find the book derogatory, then ditch it !.
However, if you find the book derogatory, then ditch it !.
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Anonymousthe woman is referred to as "Leipzig Lil" by? a man."Lil" is an abbreviated form of the name "Lilian". It doesn't refer to height, or not directly anyway.
Anonymousreference to Leipzig.A city in Germany. Being pro-**** she's referred to as if she came from somewhere in Germany. You do understand t
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I don't think "Lil" refers to her height. I suspect "Leipzig Lil" is just a nickname that someone has given to her because they don't know her real name. They may have reason to believe she's from Leipzig and, as teechr said, gave her the name "Lil" (short for Lillian) due to alliterative allure (see what I did there?).
They could have called her "Berlin Betty" for the same reason, I gu
They could have called her "Berlin Betty" for the same reason, I gu
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AnonymousI don't think "Lil" refers to her height. I suspect "Leipzig Lil" is just a nickname that someone has given to her because they don't know her real name.Maybe the character's real name was Lilian, and the "Leipzig" part was just chosen because it brings a German connection to mind and also begins with the letter L, like her name.
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The original question included the suggestion that Lil was "a derogatory way of referring to her height". It's reasonable then to assume that the character's name wasn't known or believed to be Lilian!
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