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List:       kde-pim
Subject:    [Kde-pim] Dunglish (was: Usability help ...)
From:       Adriaan de Groot <adridg () cs ! kun ! nl>
Date:       2003-04-24 10:51:49
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On Thursday 24 April 2003 09:10, André Somers wrote:
> On Thursday 24 April 2003 05:36, tech@bishop.dhs.org wrote:
> > > Muddling forward,
> > I like the word muddling.  Please use it more often.
> Sounds a bit like Dunglish ;-)

Don't accuse me of Dunglish or I'll get all pedantic on your ass and point out 
that p. 1870 of the Compact OED has

Muddle (v) Also Mudle. [Cf. MDu. moddelen, frequentative of modden, to dabble 
in mud.] ... 4. To confuse, bewilder, esp. with drink. Also, to render 
(speech) confused or indistinct. 1687 Sedley Bellamira v.i. Wks 1778 II 178 
This drinking does so muddle one's complexion and take off one's mettle. 1692 
Bentley Boyle Lect. ii. 70 Their old Master seems to have his Brains so 
muddled. ... 5. trans. To mix up blunderingly or sophistically, to confuse 
together.

So (1) you're vaguely correct in that it apparently derives from the Dutch. 
(2) Case-modders have some explaining to do. (3) Today's word is "Lurcate", 
which I stumbled across while flipping pages to find "Muddle".

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