"On the Origin of 'Dog' in Modern Conversation"
"'Sup Dog?" ...it's a greeting that has become ingrained into our society's vocabulary. And while it is evident to the most casual observer (heh, inside joke) that "'sup" developed out of "what's up" due to it's relative ease in pronunciation, I would like to delve into the mysterious origins of the latter half of that modern phrase: the "dog." Not exactly the kind of mystery that keeps you up at night, but I have ruminated many a time over the possible significance of the title "dog" in pop culture. Perhaps it was due to the canine reputation for loyalty, and to be called a dog was to siginify a loyal bond between friends. Perhaps it was a gradual twisting of an originally condescending term, much like how African Americans often call each other [the N-word] in a good way. There were numerous possibilities indeed.
Well, I was reading Reader's Digest today and I came upon that long outdated Bugs Bunny line: "What's up, Doc?" It was then that it dawned on me: could "dog" be an etymological deviation from the word "doc?" Now, I don't know if etymologists get to announce their findings like anthropologists do, but I would like to propose my theory that the currently used "dog" gradually evolved out of the original word "doc" and eventually overtook its predecessor. Note the striking similarity in their usage: they are used in conversationally identical situations- both preceded by an inquiry into the recent events experienced by the questionee. Also note the resemblance in their structure: "dog" still bears distinct marks from its ancestral lineage in its first two letters.
But it is my belief that the last letter remains in a mostly vestigial purpose. Observe the gradual lightening in emphasis on the closing sound from doc to dog and eventually to "dau" (amid the popularization of Fob culture). Call it a form of conversational natural selection, if you will. And as the epitome of vocal convenience while maintaining meaning, "dau" appears to be dominant. It is my professional (heheh) opinion that we will ultimately see the extinction of the phrase "dog," as we did with "doc," and see a concurrent rise in the popularity of "dau" in conversational speech. So next time a Fob greets you, "'Sup Dau?" think not of the immigrant's conversational deficiencies but instead the proud lineage of that phrase in its roots of "What's up, Doc?"
"'Sup Dog?" ...it's a greeting that has become ingrained into our society's vocabulary. And while it is evident to the most casual observer (heh, inside joke) that "'sup" developed out of "what's up" due to it's relative ease in pronunciation, I would like to delve into the mysterious origins of the latter half of that modern phrase: the "dog." Not exactly the kind of mystery that keeps you up at night, but I have ruminated many a time over the possible significance of the title "dog" in pop culture. Perhaps it was due to the canine reputation for loyalty, and to be called a dog was to siginify a loyal bond between friends. Perhaps it was a gradual twisting of an originally condescending term, much like how African Americans often call each other [the N-word] in a good way. There were numerous possibilities indeed.
Well, I was reading Reader's Digest today and I came upon that long outdated Bugs Bunny line: "What's up, Doc?" It was then that it dawned on me: could "dog" be an etymological deviation from the word "doc?" Now, I don't know if etymologists get to announce their findings like anthropologists do, but I would like to propose my theory that the currently used "dog" gradually evolved out of the original word "doc" and eventually overtook its predecessor. Note the striking similarity in their usage: they are used in conversationally identical situations- both preceded by an inquiry into the recent events experienced by the questionee. Also note the resemblance in their structure: "dog" still bears distinct marks from its ancestral lineage in its first two letters.
But it is my belief that the last letter remains in a mostly vestigial purpose. Observe the gradual lightening in emphasis on the closing sound from doc to dog and eventually to "dau" (amid the popularization of Fob culture). Call it a form of conversational natural selection, if you will. And as the epitome of vocal convenience while maintaining meaning, "dau" appears to be dominant. It is my professional (heheh) opinion that we will ultimately see the extinction of the phrase "dog," as we did with "doc," and see a concurrent rise in the popularity of "dau" in conversational speech. So next time a Fob greets you, "'Sup Dau?" think not of the immigrant's conversational deficiencies but instead the proud lineage of that phrase in its roots of "What's up, Doc?"
posted by Dear Daniel at 4:29 PM
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