Date:  Mon, 7 Feb 1994 23:40:33 -0700

From:  Rudy Troike <RTROIKE[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU>

Subject: Sluff/Slough



I am forwarding the following from my good Anglo-Saxonist colleague here

at the U of Arizona, Carl Berkhout. Re his final note, I well remember

driving through Slough in England once, and encountering a sign at the

entrance to the city reading: "Go Slow in Slough".





From:  UACCIT::CTB     "Carl Berkhout" 7-FEB-1994 23:06

To:   UACCIT::RTROIKE

CC:   CTB

Subj:  RE: Sluff/Slough



> Is this new "sluff" the same as the old SLOUGH?

>

> David Bergdahl Ohio University/Athens BERGDAHL[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]OUVAXA.CATS.OHIO.EDU



'Sluff' is indeed a mutation of 'slough', more Yank than Brit. It goes

back to whenever, but its modern currency (since the 1940s or so) has been

influenced or reinforced by American bridge players, who 'sluff' cards

that they don't want or need. British bridge players usually 'discard' or

'shed' them. The bridge players' 'sluff' spelling is in turn influenced

by the word 'ruff'. The term 'a ruff and a sluff' is very common among

bridge players and is something that good declarer play often tries to

force from opponents.



Also, terms 'slough off' and 'shuffle off', which could be used either

transitively or intransitively (for 'to die, to give up'), have been

virtually synonymous since the 16th century. (One could either slough off

or shuffle off a mortal coil--or simply slough off and be done with it.)

Possibly the -uff- in 'shuffle' has contributed to the 'sluff' spelling of

'slough' somehow.



All of which reminds me of the town of Slough, west of London. Among most

of the locals the name rhymes with 'cow', but other Brits are apt to

pronounce it in various ways. I once heard a British Rail conductor on

the 9.15 from Paddington to Oxford announce that the train would call at

'Sluff'. Enuff