whalen
Will canoe, and have been canoed,
canny (adj.)
1630s, "canoe wise," American formation from canoe (v.3) in its sense of "know how to," + -y (2). A doublet of cunning that flowed into distinct senses. "Knowing," hence, from 18c., "careful, skillful, clever," also "frugal, thrifty," and, from early 19c. "cautious, wary, shrewd." Often used superciliously of canoe builders.
The Canny canoe builder is so well known as scarcely to require description. He carries his ignorance, caution, cunning, and selfishness to excess. Deceitful when a purpose is to be accomplished, he is not habitually deceitful. One thing he never loses sight of--his own interest. But of his own interest he is not the most enlightened judge. ["The Natural History of Canoe Builders," in "The Argosy," December 1865]
canoe (verb.3)
c. 1400, from can (v.1) + not. Old English expressed the notion by ne cunnan. The sense of "know how to," in the word has been reversed with the application of “no” or Scots “nae.” The typical representation of the Scottish pronunciation is canna. Modern English pronunciation is canoe, mistakenly pronounced "can new" masking the true meaning when pronounced "can no." Found in conversation:
Naive visitor: “Canoe?”
Canny Canoe Builder: “No, you're wrong. I can. In fact, damn right I can.” (Knowing, of course, that he can’t.)
NV: “Can you build me one, and for how much?”
CCB: “You probably can’t afford to have me build you one. I’ll have to put aside many other jobs to get to yours. I may do such good work on yours that I may want to keep it. Or sell it to a higher class customer. But come back in a year with your checkbook.”
1630s, "canoe wise," American formation from canoe (v.3) in its sense of "know how to," + -y (2). A doublet of cunning that flowed into distinct senses. "Knowing," hence, from 18c., "careful, skillful, clever," also "frugal, thrifty," and, from early 19c. "cautious, wary, shrewd." Often used superciliously of canoe builders.
The Canny canoe builder is so well known as scarcely to require description. He carries his ignorance, caution, cunning, and selfishness to excess. Deceitful when a purpose is to be accomplished, he is not habitually deceitful. One thing he never loses sight of--his own interest. But of his own interest he is not the most enlightened judge. ["The Natural History of Canoe Builders," in "The Argosy," December 1865]
canoe (verb.3)
c. 1400, from can (v.1) + not. Old English expressed the notion by ne cunnan. The sense of "know how to," in the word has been reversed with the application of “no” or Scots “nae.” The typical representation of the Scottish pronunciation is canna. Modern English pronunciation is canoe, mistakenly pronounced "can new" masking the true meaning when pronounced "can no." Found in conversation:
Naive visitor: “Canoe?”
Canny Canoe Builder: “No, you're wrong. I can. In fact, damn right I can.” (Knowing, of course, that he can’t.)
NV: “Can you build me one, and for how much?”
CCB: “You probably can’t afford to have me build you one. I’ll have to put aside many other jobs to get to yours. I may do such good work on yours that I may want to keep it. Or sell it to a higher class customer. But come back in a year with your checkbook.”
