Antedating of "boffin"

[Jonathan Lighter]

If all conjectures are ungrounded in prior evidence, it seems fair to say
that the origin is "unknown," even if newly discovered evidence eventually
shows that one was in fact correct.

For phonological reasons only, I've always connected "boffin" with
"puffin." If the words someday do turn out to be genetically related, I
don't think that means that the assertion today of a relationship means the
etymology of "boffin" is currently other than "unknown."

JL


On Thu, Jun 12, 2014 at 10:45 AM, Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at gmail.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Dan Goncharoff <thegonch at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Antedating of "boffin"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Are you asking whether the whole nine yards of conjectures lack a concrete
> foundation?
>
> DanG
>
>
> On Thu, Jun 12, 2014 at 10:32 AM, Stephen Goranson <goranson at duke.edu>
> wrote:
>
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> > -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       Stephen Goranson <goranson at DUKE.EDU>
> > Subject:      Re: Antedating of "boffin"
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------=
> ------
> >
> > OED not only "refuses to even speculate about the origin" but goes
> > further: "Etymology:  Origin unknown. Numerous conjectures have been made
> > about the origin of the word but all lack foundation." This seems more
> > dismissive than strictly necessary. Or perhaps less than necessary and
> > sufficient. If the origin is unknown, pray tell, how may one know that
> al=
> l
> > conjectures (those that made it to OED?--whatever they may be) all lack
> > foundation?
> >
> > Stephen Goranson
> > http://people.duke.edu/~goranson/
> > ________________________________________
> > From: American Dialect Society on behalf of Laurence Horn
> > Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2014 9:51 AM
> >
> > Subject: Re: [ADS-L] Antedating of "boffin"
> >
> > It might be a bit confusing, given the range of meanings.  OED takes us
> > from sense 2:
> >
> > 2. A person engaged in =E2=80=98back-room=E2=80=99 scientific or
> technica=
> l research.The
> > term seems to have been first applied by members of the Royal Air Force
> t=
> o
> > scientists working on radar.
> >
> > to sense 3:
> >
> > Brit. colloq. In weakened use: an intellectual, an academic, a clever
> > person; an expert in a particular field; esp. such a person perceived as
> > lacking practical or social skills.
> >
> > The extended sense seems more like "geek" or "nerd" than "scientist".
>  An=
> d
> > the OED refuses to even speculate about the origin.
> >
> > LH
> >
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> >
>
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