DCHP-3

noddy ((2))

DCHP-2 (Oct 2016)

Spelling variants:
noddie

n. — Newfoundland, derogatory, rare

an inhabitant of a (usually distant) coastal settlement.

Type: 3. Semantic Change — Noddy is a variant of the derogatory term baynoddy, a word used to describe someone from a Newfoundland outport (see DNE, s.v. "noddy (n.2))", as opposed to St. John's. A connection of noddy to British English noddy (EDD, s.v. "noddy") in the meaning of 'simpleton' is evident.
See also COD-2, s.v. "noddy", which is marked "Cdn (Nfld) derogatory".

Quotations

1901
Christmas Review 6 The outcome of this resolution was the formation of a club which was known as the Noddy Club. At first this club contained about twenty members.
1912
DUNCAN 144 'Have done, ye noddie!'
2004
Would someone like to explain to us poor noddies out on the Rock how oil wells run into perpetuity? Out here, we are talking about three wells (this is not Alberta) with a life of about 30 years each. And do we have to remind you that the Churchill Falls electricity contract will still be running when those 30 years are up? Should we raise the question of the billions of dollars of stolen electricity that that contract represents?

References

  • COD-2
  • EDD
  • DNE