POSIX wants the envariable to persist across invocations
of the function "e"?  That seems...counter-intuitive.
I can't find it in POSIX now, but it's controlled by the option
posix_builtins.  We could turn that off for ksh, but I'd like to know  
if
we really ever need to have it on by default.
http://www.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/009695399/utilities/ 
xcu_chap02.html#tag_02_09_05
Where we see
	When a function is executed, it shall have the syntax-error and
	variable-assignment properties described for special built-in
	utilities in the enumerated list at the beginning of Special Built-In
	Utilities.
One of those properties is:
	Variable assignments specified with special built-in utilities remain
	in effect after the built-in completes; this shall not be the case
	with a regular built-in or other utility.