|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055
old hand
|
OP
old hand
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055 |
An American used this phrase a while back and I've heard it in songs before, like so:
Where's that dog-gone boy?
Any ideas where/why this mock profanity might have developed?
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Sounds like one of the multitude of euphemisms for "God-damned".
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803 |
multitude of euphemisms
Gol-dern
Dad-gum
Ding-busted
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605 |
multitude of euphemisms
darn
drat
ding-it
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605 |
"dog-gone boy" -- Any ideas where/why this mock profanity might have developed?
Perhaps, rather than being mock profanity, it stems from "It's a dog-gone shame." I don't take that as profanity, but as an image of sadness, just as in "It's a crying shame."
That's just speculation on my part, having no data one way or the other.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
Keiva, you are nearly spot on it with your speculation. an alternate view is that the original form was dog on it, to be compared with pox on it.
1826 J. Wilson Noct. Ambr. Wks. 1855 I. 260 Dog on't, ye wicked auld Lucifer, hoo your een sparkle as you touzle the clergy. 1872 C. King Mountain. Sierra Nev. v. 101 ‘Take that, dog-on-you!’
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055
old hand
|
|
OP
old hand
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055 |
Funny, so it's metathesical  similarity to 'God-damn' is purely coincidental, huh. I remember the song it was in now .. it's that one from M. Jackson performed with P. McCartney, it's called 'The girl is mine', I think ... ah yes, I've even found some amusing mondegreens from the song: Misheard Lyrics: The Girl is mine, dark brown girl is mine The Girl is mine, the dog and girl 're mine Correct Lyrics: The girl is mine, the doggone girl is mine
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,409 |
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981 |
I'd always sung along with the kind of muffled noise that you make when you aren't quite sure.
Thanks to y'all, I'm still losing friends and influencing people by asking them if they know what comes after "Blinded by the Light ..." You should see the affected yawns that my family do and they look at each other and say "She's off...."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460
addict
|
|
addict
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 460 |
Hi BY:
Brewer cites it as a euphemism for 'God-damned' and includes the following [undated] verse:
But when that choir got up to sing,
I couldn't catch a word;
They sang the most doggonest thing
A body ever heard!
[Will Carleton: Farm ballad]
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,328
Members9,182
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
894
guests, and
0
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
