Etymology of "dude"

[Gerald Cohen]

As promised earlier today, here's information about "dude." Credit for
locating the key articles that help clarify its etymology go to Barry Popik
and Sam Clements.

1) Barry first spotted a May 1881 article in _Clothier and Furnisher_, vol.
13, no. 10, pp. 27-28 (reprinted in my _Comments on Etymology_ April 1997,
pp. 2-3 and then Oct. 1998, pp. 1-2).  The 1881 article is titled
"Definition Of The Word Dude" and says in part:
"...It is not exactly slang, but has not rooted itself in the language and
has not, therefore, a precise and accepted meaning.  The word pronounced in
two syllables as if spelled 'doody' has been in occasional use in some New
England towns for more than a score of years.  It was probably born as a
diminutive of dandy, and applied to the feeble personators of the real fop.
..."

>From this 1881 passage just above, it looks like "Yankee Doodle Dandy"
produced a blend of "dood(le)" and "dandy" in some New England towns prior
to 1883, with shortening to "dude" (one syllable) by 1883. 1883 is when
"dude" burst on the American scene.

2) A second very important discovery was made by Sam Clements (1/15/2004
ads-l message), who had spotted a relevant 1879 article:
5 April 1879, _Burlington (IA) Weekly Hawkeye_ 6/4 (Reprinted from the
_Boston Herald_); title: "Concord Reminiscences About Thoreau, Hawthorne and
Emerson":
"Julian Hawthorne [Nathaniel's son] came home from Italy when a very small
boy.  He wore long curls, and the Concord boys plagued him in the usual
tough way of boys.  They called him "Sissy" and "Yankee Doodle," and finally
they ridiculed the poor lad till he petitioned for a barber to cut off his
locks."

This 1879 quote clarifies that "Yankee Doodle" could specifically be used to
ridicule a dandy (outside the song).  So "Dood" of "Yankee Doodle (Dandy)"
is almost certainly the source of 19th century "dude," either directly or
via shortening of the "doody" mentioned in the 1881 _Clothier and Furnisher_
article.

Note: When "dude" burst on the American scene in 1883, its meaning was
different from that of modern times.  The earlier meaning  "an
effete, young brainless youth imitating in speech and dress what he
considered to be representative of high British fashion (particularly Oscar
Wilde)." The cartoonists and other humorists had a field day with this
character.

As soon as time permits, I would like to compile all the "dude" material
from the Comments on Etymology treatments into a unified presentation, with
due credit of course.  Meanwhile, anyone interested in looking at the
available material may start with my item "_Dude_" from _Yankee Doodle_--
Confirming Evidence From an 1879 Newspaper Article," _Comments on
Etymology_, vol. 33, no. 7, April 2004, pp. 2-3. The article's selected
bibliography permits a researcher to work backwards for the earlier
Comments on Etymology treatments.

In the meantime, thanks and congratulations to Barry and Sam for their work
on this subject.

Gerald Cohen

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