Doop, dope & dopamine

What's the etymology of the word dope? 

The word "dope" has a fascinating etymology with several evolving meanings, all stemming from the same root. It ultimately comes from the Dutch word "doop," meaning "thick sauce" or "dipping."

Here's a breakdown of its development:

• Early 1800s (American English): "Dope" was first used to refer to various types of gravy or thick liquids/sauces. This makes sense given its Dutch origin.

• Mid-1800s (1850s): The meaning shifted to become a mild insult for a "stupid person." This might have been linked to the idea of being "thick-headed" or later associated with the stupefying effects of drugs.

• Late 1800s (1880s-1900s): The most well-known meaning emerged: "narcotic drug," especially opium, which was often a thick, sticky paste. This then expanded to include other drugs like morphine, cocaine, and marijuana.

• Early 1900s:

  • In horse racing slang, "dope" referred to substances given to horses to affect their performance.

  • This led to the sense of "inside information" or "the straight dope," implying knowledge about something that would influence an outcome, similar to knowing which horse had been drugged.

  • It also came to mean a preparation, mixture, or material applied to a surface (e.g., a varnish for airplane parts).

• 1980s (Hip-hop culture): "Dope" underwent an "inversion" in meaning, transforming from a negative term to one signifying "excellent," "great," or "impressive." This sense emerged from Black slang and hip-hop culture, possibly drawing on associations with the euphoric feelings of being high or the "cool" vibes of street life.

So, from a thick sauce to a powerful compliment, the word "dope" has certainly had a rich and varied journey through the English language.

That's interesting. I'm Dutch, but only know the Dutch word "doop" in the meaning of "baptism". I guess the connection is "dipping" (a child or convert) in water. 

You are absolutely right! That's a great observation and highlights the fascinating way language evolves and can have multiple branches from a single root.

You're correct that the most common meaning of "doop" in modern Dutch is "baptism." And yes, that meaning is directly linked to the act of "dipping" or "immersing" in water, as in the Christian sacrament. The verb "dopen" also means "to dip" or "to dunk."

The connection to "thick sauce" or "gravy" for the English "dope" comes from an older, less common, or perhaps more regional/dialectal use of "doop" or a closely related word in Dutch that referred to a viscous liquid.

Think of it this way:

• The core meaning: The ultimate Proto-Germanic root for both "doop" (baptism/dip) and the "sauce" meaning of "dope" is related to "to dip" or "to plunge."

• Divergent paths:

  • In Dutch, the religious context of "dipping" for baptism became the dominant and enduring meaning of "doop."

  • In English, when Dutch immigrants brought the word "doop" (or a similar variant) to America, it was initially used to describe thick, dipping sauces or gravies. This meaning then branched out to describe other thick, viscous substances (like opium paste, airplane "dope," etc.), and eventually, through various associations, led to the other meanings we discussed (stupid person, drugs, excellent).

So, while your understanding of "doop" in modern Dutch is entirely accurate, the English "dope" picked up on a different, perhaps more obscure or dialectal, facet of the original "dipping/thick liquid" concept from Dutch. It's a testament to how words can travel and transform over time and across different linguistic environments!

The English word "dope", in my original question, I know mainly in the meaning or context of drugs. I associated the word also with "dopamine", a hormone that (like drugs) is causing a "great" feeling. 

Two questions.
One. Can"dope" indeed mean [non-medical] drugs and if so, any specific (category of) drugs or drugs in general?
Two. Is there any connection between the words "dope" and "dopamine"?

You've hit on two excellent points! Let's break them down.

One. Can "dope" indeed mean drugs and if so, any specific (category of) drugs or drugs in general?

Yes, "dope" absolutely means drugs, and it can refer to both specific categories and drugs in general, depending on the context.

• General Illicit Drugs: Most broadly, "dope" is a slang term for any illicit drug used for its intoxicating or euphoric effects. This is probably the most common current usage in many contexts.

• Specific Categories:

  • Historically, it was first widely applied to opium in the late 19th century due to its thick, paste-like consistency.

  • It quickly expanded to include other highly addictive narcotics like heroin, morphine, and cocaine.

  • In more recent times, especially in the US and UK, "dope" is very frequently used to refer specifically to marijuana (cannabis).

• Performance-Enhancing Drugs: Another significant use, especially in sports, is for "doping," which refers to the use of performance-enhancing drugs (like steroids) to gain an unfair advantage. This meaning evolved from the horse racing slang.

So, while it started with thick, pasty drugs, it broadened to cover a wide range of illicit substances and then found a specific niche in the context of performance enhancement.

Two. Is there any connection between the words "dope" and "dopamine"?

This is a great question, and it's a very common thought given their phonetic similarity and the role dopamine plays in pleasure and addiction. However, there is no etymological connection between the words "dope" and "dopamine."

Here's why:

• Dope: As we discussed, "dope" comes from the Dutch "doop" (meaning thick sauce/dipping).

• Dopamine: The word "dopamine" is a scientific coinage from the mid-20th century (first recorded in the late 1950s). It's a contraction derived from its chemical name: "DOPA" (dihydroxyphenylalanine) + "-amine". DOPA itself is an acronym/abbreviation for a more complex chemical compound.

So, while drugs (often referred to as "dope") can powerfully affect the brain's dopamine system, leading to the "great" feelings you mentioned and contributing to addiction, the linguistic similarity is a pure coincidence. Your intuition about the functional connection is spot on, but the word origins are completely separate.