Dingo the Dissident

THE BLOG OF DISQUIET : Qweir Notions, an uncommonplace-book from the Armpit of Diogenes, binge-thinker jottings since 2008 .

Thursday 5 May 2022

The Goon Show.

Although the online etymological dictionary suggests an English or American origin for the word goon (e.g. from 16th century gony=simpleton or goony-bird=albatross) it is in fact of Indian origin, as is obliquely acknowledged in the title of Brecht & Weill's musical play 'The Rise and Fall of the Town of Mahagonny' i.e. maha (great) gunda ( गुंडा,  criminal).  

Gunda[h] or Goonda seems to date back to the 17th century. 
Goon did not appear in English until the 1930s, and, though first used in the USA, was applied to Nazi bully-boys amongst others.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goonda

Enid Blyton's Famous Five books for children featured a risible policeman, PC Goon.

Then came Spike Milligan and The Goon Show, of which the Prince of Wales is a the most famous fan.


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