re: Well, Doggies! Way Doggies! Hoo, Doggies! page 3

DARE also shows "dog" used "in var euphem exclams, esp dog bite (it), ~ take (it) and varr It gives for the etymology "Euphem for God. " and identifies the use as South and South Midland.

What I don't understand is calling this a euphemism. I thought a eupehmism was a nice sounding word for a bad sounding word, like funeral director for mortician, or mortician for undertaker. What is bad-sounding about "God"?
Shouldn't the word be "periphrastic" or "periphrasm" (if the second exists) or somethign else.
It's certain uses that are objected to for religious reasons**, so "God" is replaced by a word that doesn't* mean God. If it *meant God, it wouldn't serve the purpose.
**(although the reasons are different for Jews and Christians)

s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Baltimore 20 years

DARE also shows "dog" used "in var euphem exclams, esp ... God. "and identifies the use as South and South Midland.

What I don't understand is calling this a euphemism. I thought a eupehmism was a nice sounding word for a ... mean God. If it meant God, it wouldn't serve the purpose. **(although the reasons are different for Jews and Christians)

From the definition for "euphemism" in the *Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary* at www.m-w.com :
"the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant; also : the expression so substituted"
Under certain circumstances, of course, the use of the words "God" or "Jesus Christ" may offend, and so are replaced with euphemisms. I would have suggested in the above definition "less offensive" for "inoffensive," because I think many euphemisms will still offend in some circumstances. I expect that in some company a man used to saying "Tarnation!" would replace it with something less offensive, and there are Christians today who are opposed to the use of "Gee!" because they know it comes from "Jesus!" and consider that it is still violates the commandment "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain."

Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com

Didn't I clearly state in an earlier post that I was making a conjecture? Didn't I indicate throughout the posting run that I was expressing opinion? Neither conjecture nor opinion requires proof. If proof was available, it wouldn't be conjecture or opinion.

A 78-line post warrants this little gem? Boooring.

Boooring and sounding a bit like the petulant CJ. Can CJ be Coop in disguise?

Charles Riggs

Didn't I clearly state in an earlier post that I ... If proof was available, it wouldn't be conjecture or opinion.

A 78-line post warrants this little gem? Boooring. Boooring and sounding a bit like the petulant CJ. Can CJ be Coop in disguise?

Who nose?

wrmst rgrds
Robin Bignall
Hertfordshire
England

(...exhaustive, I think, discussion about doggies and dogies...)

And so to "Way!".
Oxford Atlas of English Dialects lists 'Way', 'Wo' (commonly spelled 'whoa'), and in two small areas 'Ho' and 'Wee', as the principal variant words used to tell an animal (over-specifically, IMO, a horse) to stop. (Other words are listed but not mapped.) It says 'Way' is recorded only from the mid-19C.
Is there any sign that 'Way', if found at all, was more recent in AmE, too?
Are there any interesting alternatives in NAm use?

Mike.

Oxford Atlas of English Dialects lists 'Way', 'Wo' (commonly spelled 'whoa'), and in two small areas 'Ho' and 'Wee', as ... that 'Way', if found at all, was more recent in AmE, too? Are there any interesting alternatives in NAm use?

NTIKO. "Whoa" is culturally standard.

Oxford Atlas of English Dialects lists 'Way', 'Wo' (commonly spelled 'whoa'), and in two small areas 'Ho' and 'Wee'

I'm a little bit "Way", I'm a little bit "Whoa", I'm a geezer. Know what I mean?
No, of course you don't.
Mike M
Friday afternoon mode

(...exhaustive, I think, discussion about doggies and dogies...) And so to "Way!". Oxford Atlas of English Dialects lists 'Way', 'Wo' ... only from the mid-19C. Is there any sign that 'Way', if found at all, was more recent in AmE, too?

Way down yonder in New Orleans

John Dean
Oxford

(...exhaustive, I think, discussion about doggies and dogies...) And so ... if found at all, was more recent in AmE, too?

Way down yonder in New Orleans

Turn you loose in Nawlins, and there'd be be no doggone "Whoa!" about it, [email protected]'.
Mike.