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Is this a plausible theory for the origin of "dunce": Just as you can say "Hey Einstein" to sarcastically mock someone not so smart, or how Bugs Bunny can sarc
by Thorrez 3y ago
Is this a plausible theory for the origin of "dunce":
Just as you can say "Hey Einstein" to sarcastically mock someone not so smart, or how Bugs Bunny can sarcastically use "Nimrod" as an insult to call Elmer Fudd a bad hunter when Nimrod was a mighty hunter described in the Bible, so someone might use a name derived from Duns Scotus to sarcastically call someone dumb when Duns Scotus was an intelligent scholar.
- talideon 3y agoYes, it's the literal origin of the term, but not the way you've posited. The term came out of the Protestant Reformation. Within some schools of Protestantism, followers of Scotism were viewed as being slavish to Fund Scotis's teachings and thus too stupid to think for themselves. It was originally an anti-Catholic insult.