No Duff

[army]

No Duff





Posted by Mark Bossi M.A. Bossi, Esquire from Toronto Ontario Canada on April 30, 1999 at 17:50:45:



Well, it finally happened ...

Despite nearly 22 years in the Army, I came up blank when somebody asked me this question:

What is the origin of the expression "NO DUFF" i.e. used during an exercise to indicate non-exercise, or "real" activities, such as a real casualty vice an exercise or "pretend" cas?

Somebody else suggested it is a version of "No guff" i.e. "no bull" or "no kidding".
Another wondered whether it has something to do with golf i.e. "duffers"?

So, I turn to the collective wisdom of the War Diary contributors for this exercise in etymology no - that‘s not insects - it‘s the origin of words - No Duff!

Dileas.

 

[army]

Re: No Duff





Posted by Jules Deschenes from Canada on April 30, 1999 at 19:03:13:


In Reply to: No Duff posted by Mark Bossi on April 30, 1999 at 17:50:45:



Having done these types of exercises since ‘74 and having heard it in Borden 20yrs before that. I don‘t know the origin so thanks for nuttin‘ right Mark? I just want to say that anytime we‘ve used it, it was as no BS. Now you‘ve certainly tweeked my curiosity as to original origin.

 

[army]

Re: No Duff





Posted by CDJM on April 30, 1999 at 20:24:25:


In Reply to: No Duff posted by Mark Bossi on April 30, 1999 at 17:50:45:



A duffer according to Websters is
"an awkward or incompetent person."
Therefore, perhaps no duff
could mean, the message originator was not a duffer,
and the message is no duff..

Maybe...

 

[army]

Re: No Duff





Posted by Alan Woolley from Canada on May 01, 1999 at 01:33:59:


In Reply to: No Duff posted by Mark Bossi on April 30, 1999 at 17:50:45:



My Oxford dictionary defines "duff" as "worthless, counterfeit, useless thing" hence, "no duff" would mean not false.

Cheers,
Alan Woolley

 

[army]

Re: No Duff





Posted by Reggie Millar from Canada on May 01, 1999 at 13:25:10:


In Reply to: No Duff posted by Mark Bossi on April 30, 1999 at 17:50:45:



I don‘t know exactly what "duff" means, but I suspect it may be old enough to have come from our British ties in the WWs. Even up until a number of years ago, one still heard the phrase "duff gen", which meant bad info. I admit that this contribution may not be helpful, because all it does is raise the related question of what does "gen" mean and where did it come from? Back to head scratching...Reggie.