Czech fonts, etc.

[Randolph J. Herber]

The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary lists several examples
of boff- alternate spellings for buff- words and several for -oo- and -o-
alternatives.  The same dictionary gives for buffoon, among other meanings,
he following meanings a comic actor, clown, jester, fool ....  Of course,
a person might apply such a description to himself or herself.

Randolph J. Herber, herber at dcdrjh.fnal.gov, +1 708 840 2966, CD/HQ
(Speaking for myself and not for US, US DOE, FNAL nor URA.)
(Product, trade, or service marks herein belong to their respective owners.)

The following header lines retained to affect attribution:
|Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 19:19:39 -0400 (EDT)
|From: "Loren A. Billings" <BILLINGS at PUCC.BITNET>
|Subject: Re: Czech fonts, etc.

        ...

|I make no apologies for using the term "boffin"; actually, I met a
|Canadian who described himself as such just this past weekend.  The
|word does not appear to have any etymological meaning (as is the case with
|_hysterical_ at the O.J. Simpson trial) or acquired interpretation that
|would imply anything more than reverence for the service that these
|people provide at help lines and walk-in rooms all over the world.

        ...

|--Loren Billings (billings at princeton.edu)