But what's it from? It certainly can't come from dough, can it? Because all I can think of in that context is the Pillsbury Doughboy. And doughty he may be, but he's not exactly a role model. Well, let's check it out..
Okay--stouthearted and resolute, we get the drift. It goes back to the Old English dohtig--competent, good and valient, and it's got one of those PIE roots, namely *dheugh- --to be fit, able or strong.
What's interesting is that according to the Online Etymology dictionary, doughty is rare after the seventeenth century (!), and when you see it now, it's usually in an archaic or mock-heroic form, which I must admit seems to have been the sense of the uses I've seen of it. Apparently, if it has survived into modern currency, it would be rendered as "dighty".
Which doesn't sound very doughty at all.
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Doughty is one of those words I never quite understood, and never quite knew how it was spelled. So I thought it was related to "redoubtable" - but apparently not.
ReplyDeleteHmmm - "stouthearted and resolute".
I had a work colleague called Philip Doughty, and I just hope he never reads your blog and finds out what his name means as he was singularly lacking in modesty!
Right, etymologically redoubtable and doughty come from different sources, I think, and redoubtable has more the meaning of formidable or awe inspiring. But you can see how the two meanings might overlap a bit.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was looking for an image to post here, I came across a lot of Doughtys. So either there are a lot of stouthearted souls among us, or, well, a lot of tall tale tellers.
I've never come across that word, but I like it. I can imagine trying to use it and the person thinking It meant someone having doubt. It'd be a good word if you wanted to confuse.
ReplyDeleteI bet you'll come across it now, though, Glenna. It's kind of how these things work. I remember coming across the word segue for the 'first time' well into my adult life and found it unaccountable that I had never seen it before. Of course I've run into it a thousand times since. So I suppose it must have come across my path before but just flew under the radar.
ReplyDeleteSeana, I have noticed a general propensity toward that lately. And though I probably shouldn't admit the enjoyment I get from it, I will.
ReplyDeleteWhy not? It adds a little interest to life, which in my experience is all to the good...
ReplyDelete"Doughty" always had that archaic ring to it, like calling someone a stout fellow for reasons that have nothing to do with his girth.
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Writers seem to like to throw it in descriptively sometimes, but you don't hear it much in everyday speech. Or ever.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the last time I read a reference. I am fairly sure I have never heard the word pronounced.
ReplyDeleteWell, we just read it in Finnegans Wake, which is not too surprising, and I then came across it in Franzen's new book Freedom, which might also not be surprising. But I also saw it something that was more everyday speech, maybe Dennis Lehane's new novel, or maybe a blog post. Oddly, it's archaic without being particularly pretentious to use.
ReplyDeleteI wonder where the idea of stoutheartedness stems from.
Nice word. It's familiar, in that I've read it somewhere, but not sure where.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is. I predict that you'll note it the next time you see it, Brian.
ReplyDeleteSeana -
ReplyDeleteKnowing me, the next time I see it, I'll probably just think, "I've seen this before somewhere..."
Brian, the sad thing is that that will probably be my response too.
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