The Mysterious Dog

And wouldn’t you think the Latin synonym
would pre-date most of the others? Not so. Canine came to English in the 1500s
from Latin, through French, but acted for over three hundred years exclusively
as an adjective meaning doglike. It
wasn’t until 1869 that canine made its way into the world
of English nouns.
Mutt offers more mystery. Though mutt first entered
American English in 1901 meaning stupid
or foolish person, it gained the meaning of mongrel dog by 1904. Though etymologists can’t find a connection
between them, it’s assumed the first meaning may have come from the contemptuous
word muttonhead,
which made a brief appearance in the early 1800s referring to a dim person. This usage has
mysteriously disappeared since, though it’s such a lovely word, I’d be pleased
to see it re-appear on the linguistic scene.
Oddly, the English word pooch & the Spanish
word
perro, are also of unknown origin. Thank heavens for cur
& puppy, whose origins are clear. Puppy came to English
meaning a woman’s small pet dog. It
came from the Middle French word poupée, meaning doll. Though the word cur now clearly eschews the nobility
of the dog in question, cur originally was attached to no
such prejudice. Cur first arrived in English in the 1300s & is onomatopoeic,
mirroring the growl of a dog.
Followers, what have you to say about all
these dog-related mysteries? Also, are you with me in my hopes of reviving the
word muttonhead?