Mutt

Mon Aug 13 01:39:50 UTC 2012

HDAS cites Lewis's work.

JL

On Sun, Aug 12, 2012 at 9:20 PM, Garson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com>wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Garson O'Toole <adsgarsonotoole at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject:      Re: Mutt
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> In 1900 a collection of short stories was published under the title
> "Sandburrs". The copyright notices suggested that the stories were
> written or published in 1898 and 1899. The term "mut" was used
> extensively in this book and it seemed to refer to someone who was
> foolish or who was acting stupidly, i.e., a muttonhead. (That is my
> interpretation and others may disagree.)
>
> Cite: 1900, Sandburrs by Alfred Henry Lewis, [Copyright 1898, 1899 by
> The Verdict Publishing Company.] [Copyright 1900 by Frederick A,
> Stokes Company.] [Preface date: November 15 1899, New York] Quotes
> from mulitiple pages, Frederick A, Stokes Company, New York. (Google
> Books full view)
>
> http://books.google.com/books?id=KBg3AAAAYAAJ&q=mut#v=snippet&
>
> Heavy dialect was used. The preface stated the following:
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> The Bowery dialect - if it be a dialect - employed in sundry of these
> sketches is not an exalted literature. The stories told are true,
> however; so much may they have defence.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Here are several excerpts containing "mut":
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> "This sucker is pretty soon himself, see! He ain't such a mut as we
> figgers. His train starts at 1 o clock, an' he takes in d' bank on his
> way to d' station.
> [End excerpt]
>
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> Over she spins to grab another glimpse, see! When she strikes d'
> summer kitchen she comes near to throwin' a faint. D' pile of rubbidge
> is twenty times as big!
>
> "That settles it! d' joint is ha'nted! an' wit' that notion all
> tangled up in her frizzes d' old mut makes a straight wake for d'
> priest.
> [End excerpt]
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> "W'at th' 'ell!' I says to meself; 'I've been on a dead one from
> d'start. This stiff is a bigger mut than I be.'
> [End excerpt]
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> "At last d'little laundry goil makes d'brace of her life. She's so
> bashful an' timid she can't live; but she's dead stuck on seein' her
> Billy before he sails away, an'it gives her nerve. As I says, she
> takes me Rag's steer an' skins out for d' Cap'tal.
>
> "An' what do youse t'ink? D' old mut who's Sec'tary won't chin wit'
> her. Toins her down cold, he does; gives her d'grand rinky-dink
> wit'out so much as findin' out what's her racket at all.
> [End excerpt]
>
> The theory that "mut" was derived from "muttonhead" was in circulation
> by 1910. I will give cites in a separate post (if this is new
> information).
>
> Typos are likely. Please double check. Thanks.
> Garson
>
> On Sun, Aug 12, 2012 at 2:51 PM, Douglas G. Wilson <douglas at nb.net> wrote:
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> > Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> > Poster:       "Douglas G. Wilson" <douglas at NB.NET>
> > Subject:      Re: Mutt
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > See my 2004 post --
> >
> > http://tinyurl.com/cttwsep
> >
> > -- for my general thoughts which I think are similar to JL's.
> >
> > Here is one more item from 1900 (excuse me if it's been quoted before):
> >
> > ----------
> >
> > _New York Times_, '30 Oct. 1900': from Web archive, I don't see a page
> no.:
> >
> > <<"I t'ought dey was all me fren's," he said to the police, "but when I
> > got in ter Mike's dese mutts dey tries to swoipe me dough. ....">>
> >
> > ----------
> >
> > As for why "mutt" has tended to be applied specifically to mongrel dogs,
> > here is an item of possible tangential interest from Australia from 1927
> > (from NLA archive):
> >
> > ----------
> >
> > _Western Mail_, Perth, W. A., 15 Dec. 1927: p. 44:
> >
> > <<Wild Dogs. / As regards vermin proof fences it is unfortunate that
> > these are essential and some action should be taken by the Government to
> > eradicate wild dogs on Crown lands. / This paper recently published
> > photos of dogs at a kennel show and remarked that these were the sort of
> > animals that gave the pastoralist bad dreams. The complete control of
> > the dog question is a point that should be aimed at for, while granting
> > the splendid characteristics of the canine race, if the opportunity be
> > given, any dog from a wolf-hound downwards (we may except the Pekinese
> > and his kind) will turn into a mutton hound. The country north of
> > Yilgarn is a veritable breeding ground for wild dogs and the broken
> > country between the settled parts and Mt. Churchman is the home of
> > innumerable half bred dogs. The extended terms on which netting is now
> > available should bring a vermin-proof fence within the reach of every
> > settler who is otherwise in a position to carry sheep.>>
> >
> > ----------
> >
> > As for whether there is any evidence at all that "muttonhead" was
> > shortened to "mutt", I don't know of any. Similarly, I have no evidence
> > for "mutton dog/hound/lover" being shortened to "mutt". One can generate
> > other speculations (e.g., at some times in some places the consumption
> > of mutton was considered low-class and so derogatory "mutton eater" or
> > so might have existed and might have been shortened). These speculations
> > are fun and provide hypotheses to be checked against the available
> > historical record.
> >
> > The 1898 citation which I presented in my 2004 post had "mut" referring
> > to a poor newspaper boy. One can compare "tyke", which apparently meant
> > "low-class dog", later "low-class person" and "[unfortunate] child".
> > Perhaps the same progression occurred with "mutt" -- but only "perhaps",
> > since so far evidence seems to be lacking!
> >
> > -- Doug Wilson
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
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>
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> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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