Fwd: "doh, int." - Word of the Day from the OED

[Dave Monroe]

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Date: Wed, Apr 18, 2012 at 7:30 PM
Subject: "doh, int." - Word of the Day from the OED
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Your word for today is: doh, int.

doh, int.
Pronunciation: Brit. /dəʊ/,  U.S. /doʊ/
Forms:  19– d'oh,   19– doh,   19– dooh.
Etymology:Imitative. Compare oh int., duh int.
Popularized by the American actor Dan Castellaneta who provides the
voice for the character Homer Simpson in the U.S. cartoon series The
Simpsons. The quotation below is his own description of its origin:
1998 Daily Variety (Nexis) 28 Apr., The D'oh came from character actor
James Finlayson's “Do-o-o-o” in Laurel & Hardy pictures. You can tell
it was intended as a euphemism for “Damn”. I just speeded it up.



Although the word appears (in the form D'oh) in numerous publications
based on The Simpsons, the scripts themselves simply specify annoyed
grunt (as did the very earliest). Unofficial transcripts of the
programme suggest the first spoken use was in a short episode,
Punching Bag, broadcast on 27 Nov. 1988 as part of The Tracey Ullman
Show. Its earliest occurrence in the full-length series was in the
first episode Simpsons roasting on an Open Fire, broadcast on 17 Dec.
1989.
 colloq.
  Expressing frustration at the realization that things have turned
out badly or not as planned, or that one has just said or done
something foolish. Also (usu. mildly derogatory): implying that
another person has said or done something foolish (cf. duh int.).
1945  T. Kavanagh It's That Man Again (B.B.C. radio script) 8th Ser.
No. 166, Tom: Yes, out of the nest–Diana: What nest? Tom: In those
whiskers–Diana: Dooh! Its [sic] no good talking to you.
1945  T. Kavanagh It's That Man Again (B.B.C. radio script) 8th Ser.
No. 167, Diana: The man I marry must be affectionate and call me
‘Dear’–Tom: Oh you're going to be a stag's wife–Diana: Doh! Tom: Same
thing.
1952  A. Buckeridge Jennings & Darbishire xii. 183 ‘Doh!’ An anguished
gasp of exasperation rang out loud and clear as Mr Wilkins found his
voice again.
1989 Beano 11 Feb. 23  (caption) [Speaker is a man who is knocked
against a bus stop.] Doh!
1991 Chicago Tribune (Nexis) 15 Nov. (Friday section) Pg-h, ‘The movie
had one good point: It wasn't the worst movie I've ever seen.’ ‘It was
the worst movie I've ever seen.’ ‘Doh!’
1993 HP Professional (Nexis) July 28 Along their long path ISO sort of
missed local area networks and network management, which gave the
market over to TCP/IP and related technologies. As Homer Simpson would
say: ‘Doh!’
1996  A. Fein et al.  Simpsons Comics strike Back! 14/2 ‘Look out, you
dern fool! You're gonna cut off your…’ ‘D'oh!!!’
1998  N. Jones Hollyoaks (Mersey TV transmission script) Episode 256.
44 Cindy: What are we doing here, anyway? Paul: Doh! Use your head,
eh?

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