After the weather we've had this summer we're bound to hope for something better in September. But why will we refer to it as an Indian summer? Maybe you think it's obvious - India's a warm place, after all.
But that isn't it, it's actually of American origin, first used around 1778 and only later adopted by us. We used to call the phenomenon a Saint Martin's summer.
So the Indian referred to is the Native American, not the citizen of India. But it's still not quite clear why the phrase cropped up, even in America.

Of course Native Americans are called Indians in the first place because adventurers thought they had landed in India. So should India try to prevent use of Indian from meaning anything other than "of India"? It's unlikely they would have much success - the island of Lesbos recently tried and failed to get the term Lesbian to be restricted to meaning "of Lesbos".

A better approach might be to make a virtue of a necessity, and exploit the "warm feeling" (sorry!) associated with the term Indian Summer to tempt people to the country itself. Indian Tourist Board - you owe me!

What do you think?

Nigel Penn-Simkins 0118 951 9450
Arthur op den Brouw 0118 951 9460