Comments on: What the Deuce, Or, Etymological Devilry http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/devil/ Introducing brilliant authors to the blogosphere. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:43:07 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Dot http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/devil/comment-page-1/#comment-149216 Dot Mon, 09 Feb 2009 07:17:09 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/devil/#comment-149216 And he lay hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devi... Old Nick is the old serpent and may be connected to nickor and old English name for a water serpent, as found in Beowolf. Also the Greek NT word for devil is diabolos coming from roots that mean to throw, caste down of thrust through which may give rise to the deuce words. And he lay hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devi…

Old Nick is the old serpent and may be connected to nickor and old English name for a water serpent, as found in Beowolf.

Also the Greek NT word for devil is diabolos coming from roots that mean to throw, caste down of thrust through which may give rise to the deuce words.

]]> By: John Pretty http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/devil/comment-page-1/#comment-149146 John Pretty Sun, 01 Feb 2009 11:42:22 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/devil/#comment-149146 I think the explanation of the derivation of 'Old Nick' is, with respect, highly implausible. 'Old Nick' is a phrase long in the vernacular imagination. I doubt many ordinary 18th and 18th century English men and women would have even heard of the metal nickel let alone associate it with the devil. I think an 'evil' figure that had entered the public imagination is a more likely explanation - perhaps Niccolo Machiavelli (who I have read is a possibility) or perhaps Nicholas Barbon who was a famous figure in his day. I think the explanation of the derivation of ‘Old Nick’ is, with respect, highly implausible. ‘Old Nick’ is a phrase long in the vernacular imagination. I doubt many ordinary 18th and 18th century English men and women would have even heard of the metal nickel let alone associate it with the devil. I think an ‘evil’ figure that had entered the public imagination is a more likely explanation – perhaps Niccolo Machiavelli (who I have read is a possibility) or perhaps Nicholas Barbon who was a famous figure in his day.

]]> By: Kristina http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/devil/comment-page-1/#comment-147263 Kristina Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:45:21 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/devil/#comment-147263 Devil=duality=separate (diabolein) Devil=duality=separate (diabolein)

]]> By: What the Deuce? « The Mendicant Bug http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/devil/comment-page-1/#comment-137639 What the Deuce? « The Mendicant Bug Sun, 17 Feb 2008 01:58:33 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/2007/09/devil/#comment-137639 [...] the 2000 version of Henry James’ The Golden Bowl, I heard the once-common phrase “The deuce only knows…”  I’m always looking for vintage profanity, and this appealed to me [...] [...] the 2000 version of Henry James’ The Golden Bowl, I heard the once-common phrase “The deuce only knows…”  I’m always looking for vintage profanity, and this appealed to me [...]

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