Dander

A Question of the Day.  Is it ever good to "get one's dander up"?  Yes.  No. Maybe. Much is uncertain.

The phrase sounds, and is, American circa 1830's.  It might be a spin on a word from the West Indies that delightfully involves making rum.  "Dander, or Dunder" meaning the fermentation of sugar.  Inexpertly one assumes since it derives from the Spanish "redundar" which means "to overflow". 

Perhaps by now you've acquired my tendency to look at words and note similarities to other words.  Yes, redundar arrives straight from the Latin "redundare".  It's basic meaning is to be in excess, or superfluous.*

To be redundant in America is a little depressing but you are at least still drawing a paycheck.  In the UK "to be made redundant" means you've become obsolete and have been let go.

Near as I can figure Dander and Dandruff are not related at all.  The latter word is also of uncertain origins and one assumes Dandruff in any event goes down not up.  

And what about Dunderhead?  Dunder supposedly derives from Thunder via assorted Dutch influences.  It also rather suggests the influence of "Dunce".  As it happens the Spanish were not the only ones with interests in the West Indies.  If you manage your fermentation very badly - as a Dunce would - it might not just overflow but thunderously explode!

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*Darn it, more words linking to other words.  Superfluous meaning of course, quite literally, to be over flowing.....