D'oh!

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Homer Simpson exclaiming the famous quote
Homer Simpson exclaiming the famous quote

"D'oh!" is a catch phrase used by the fictional character Homer Simpson, from the long-running animated series The Simpsons (1989–present). Homer's ubiquitous catch phrase was famously added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2001,[1] without the apostrophe. The spoken word "D'oh" is a trademark of 20th Century Fox.[2] It is typically used when Homer injures himself, realizes that he has done something stupid, or when something bad has happened or is about to happen to him. Other members of his family-including Bart, Lisa, Grampa, and even his mother and brother have all been known to use it themselves. Other characters have also used this phrase.

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[edit] Origin

Homer framing his catchphrase without the aid of speech, in "Jaws Wired Shut".
Homer framing his catchphrase without the aid of speech, in "Jaws Wired Shut".

It is typically represented in the show's script as "(annoyed grunt)", and is so spelled out in the official titles of several episodes.[3]

When Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer, was first asked to voice the exclamation, he rendered it as a drawn out "dohhhh" (pronounced the same as dough, but slightly stretched out), inspired by Jimmy Finlayson, the mustachioed Scottish actor who appeared in 33 Laurel and Hardy films. Finlayson coined the term as a minced oath for suggesting the word "Damn!" without actually saying it.[4] The show's creator Matt Groening felt that it would better suit the timing of animation if it were spoken faster so Castellaneta shortened it to "D'oh!" (pronounced dough)[5] It was first heard on a Tracey Ullman Show short entitled "Punching Bag", which first aired on November 27, 1988. When Bart and Lisa try to hide a punching bag with Homer's face on it, it knocks him out. Homer's reaction is "D'oh!" The next occasion it was heard was in the first episodes of The Simpsons, "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire", which first aired on December 17, 1989.

[edit] Episode names

When originally created, the word didn't have an official spelling. Instead, it was written as "(Annoyed Grunt)". In recognition of this, several episodes feature the phrase "(Annoyed Grunt)" in the episode title where one would expect to hear "D'oh!" because it rhymes and sounds better. Such episodes include:

In early airings, the closed captioning (CC) of the show displayed "(Annoyed Grunt)" in place of where "D'oh!" is heard.

Five episodes so far have "D'oh" in their titles (all in later seasons):

[edit] Usage

The term d'oh! has been adopted by many Simpsons fans, and even non-fans. The term has become commonplace in modern speech and demonstrates the extent of the show's influence. "D'oh" has been added to the English language Wiktionary, the Webster's Millennium Dictionary of English, the Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners and the Oxford English Dictionary. It is defined as: "expressing frustration at the realization that things have turned out badly or not as planned, or that one has just said or done something foolish. Also (usu. mildly derogatory), implying that another person has said or done something foolish (cf. DUH int.)." The OED etymologizes the word as "popularized by" The Simpsons, but lists usages as early as 1945. It is also now becoming a popular minced oath for many various curse words, especially damn.[citation needed]

The term has also been used in popular culture beyond The Simpsons, sometimes as a reference to the program. For example, in a 2008 episode of Doctor Who, an Ood with a mark VI translator mechanisim set on a "comedy classic" option says "D'oh!"[6]

In the German-dubbed version, "d'oh!" is translated as "Nein!" (No!); in the Spanish-dubbed version, it is ¡Ou!.[citation needed] The pronunciation, with the proper Homer-like intonation (the word dough or doe, pronounced as a quick-sounding yelp), has also entered the popular culture of many Spanish-speaking countries.

[edit] See also

Look up d'oh in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

[edit] References

  1. ^ It's in the dictionary, d'oh!. BBC News, Entertainment. BBC (2001-06-14). Archived from the original on 2002-12-03. Retrieved on 2007-08-16. “Homer Simpson's catchphrase "d'oh!" has made it into the updated online edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, published on Thursday. It makes the expression an official word of the English language.”
  2. ^ Latest Status Info. TARR. Retrieved on 2007-08-25.
  3. ^ Episode titles with the original spelling include "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala(Annoyed Grunt)cious", "E-I-E-I-(Annoyed Grunt)", "I, (Annoyed Grunt)-Bot", and "G.I. (Annoyed Grunt)". Episodes with d'oh in their titles include: "D'oh-in' in the Wind", "Days of Wine and D'oh'ses", "C.E. D'oh", "We're on the Road to D'ohwhere", and "He Loves to Fly and He D'oh's".
  4. ^ “What’s the story with . . . Homer’s D’oh!”, The Herald, Glasgow: 15, July 21, 2007, <http://www.theherald.co.uk/search/display.var.1562687.0.whats_the_story_with_homers_doh.php>. Retrieved on 2007-07-22 
  5. ^ Simon, Jeremy. "Wisdom from The Simpsons' 'D'ohh' boy" (Interview), The Daily Northwestern, 1994-02-11. 
  6. ^ Planet of the Ood: Fear Forecast. BBC Doctor Who website. Retrieved on 2008-04-20.

[edit] External links