Re: inspiration for "duffer"?


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Posted by Peter Ceresole on October 20, 2003 at 18:48:44 from 80.177.22.49 user PeterC.

In Reply to: inspiration for "duffer"? posted by Jonathan Labaree on October 20, 2003 at 16:06:32:

is there any chance that this is AR’s inspiration for the wording of the famous cable from Cmdr Walker? or is/was “duffer” a pretty common word to describe the nautically challenged.

I think it was a very common word for somebody clumsy or foolish- not just in boats.

The Oxford dictionary gives 'origin uncertain'. But it was certainly well before Childers used it.

(Sad that they no longer put 'origin obscure'. It was such a nice phrase...)


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