Über den Ursprung von “dandiner”

• Posted by mgr on July 15th, 2007 filed in HISTORISCHES, Zeitdokumente
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The Times. Saturday February 01, 1823, pg. 3 Issue 11784, column G

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES

Sir, - Your correspondent, “A Constant Reader,” in the letter of the 28th, inserted in your paper of the 29th inst., has not given the exactly correct meaning of the French words “dandin” and “dandiner.” Both have a variety of meanings. Familiarly, dandin is an idler, a loiterer, a dangler. Hence, without a heavy reproach, one may accuse un tel d’être un dandin - Il ne fait que dandiner du matin au soir, meaning simply, an idler, one who dangles about from morning to night. Dandiner, se dandiner, taken abstractedly, mean nothing more. Qualified by the application of various substantives, their meaning varies: as, dandiner sur une chaise, according to your “Constant Reader,” is “to tilt on a chair idly,” foolishly, (en niais), or affectedly. Dandiner au cheval, lounging on horseback - au café, a Tivoli, en cabriolet, à la cour, et même par tout. Neither in dandin or dandiner can be conveyed any idea similar to that expressed in the term “dandy.” I think the epithet may at once be honoured with a true English parentage, by being deemed a derivative (par mepris) from “dandler,” one given to dandle and fondle. The second illustration of the verb, to dandle, in “Johnson’s Dictionary,” taken from our immortal Addison’s “Spectator,” savours strongly of the sense in which the word is now applied, and may, perhaps, sanction our taking the epithet as a genuine native. These are the words: - “They have put me in a silk gown and a gaudy fool’s cap; I am shamed to be dandled thus, and cannot look at the glass without blushing to see myself turned into such a little pretty master.”
At all events, “dandin” conveys no idea of our meaning conveyed in the contemptuous appellation “dandy.”
Jan. 31. In great haste, your old reader, T.E.
P.S. In the French Dictionary dandin is a “niais, et sans contenance,”, that is, sans maintien, sans tenue, or (in English) a mannerless looby, a regular lout. Here, again, there is no similarity with the English term dandy.

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