Saturday, March 1, 2014

Dad Words

Waldo W. Burchard, 1939 (age 23)

If you don't know the meanings, please ask. I'm sure we'll all be happy to share our definitions.

And don't forget to add your favorites in the comments!


DAD WORDS

balderdash

bumbershoot

canoodle

cattywampus

claptrap

dadgummit! and dagnabbit! (complete with exclamation points, courtesy of Ms M)

dungarees (with thanks to Eric Baker)

flibbertigibbet

flummoxed

gadzooks (thanks to Ann Erdman)

gumption

hornswaggle

nincompoop

nitwit

numbskull

pipsqueak

poppycock

post-prandial

rapscallion (thank you, Bellis)

skedaddle

smidgen

thingamajig

28 comments:

Book Dragon said...



I can hear my dad saying these! Thanks so much for the laugh :-)

Unknown said...

Ha! Heard several of these!

Petrea Burchard said...

"Bumbershoot" made me think of it, being appropriate for today.

Eric Baker said...

Many of these I say myself from time to time - particularly 'skedaddle'. That is actually one of my go to words. I would like to add 'dungarees' to the list.

Petrea Burchard said...

Dungarees is added! Thank you, Eric, that's perfect.

Bellis said...

rapscallion.

Petrea Burchard said...

Good one, Bellis. Added.

Kalei's Best Friend said...

Love your Dad's smile!. What is bumbershoot,flibbertigibbet,and hornswaggle?

Unknown said...

Love your Dad's portrait. As to the words, well, they're all new to me! :-)

dive said...

Oh, crikey. I use all of those. Does that make me a dad? I suppose it's an easier method of becoming one than the traditional route.
Fab photo, Petrea.

Bellis said...

My Dad was full of odd sayings. If I asked him what he was doing, he'd say "Making a wigwam for a duck's bridle." Thanks for starting this topic, Petrea - you inspired me to Google it and find out more.

Petrea Burchard said...

My dad's smile lit the day, KBF. Your questions:
bumbershoot: umbrella
flibbertigibbet: a flighty woman, like Aunt Clara on "Bewitched"
hornswaggle: cheat someone by confusing them
I hope others will tell us if they have other definitions for these words. I haven't looked them up, I'm just using them the way I grew up with them.

José, these are all early-to-mid 20th century American slang. Maybe I'll add definitions into the post once everyone's had a chance with it.

Dive, maybe this makes you an early-to-mid 20th century American.

I've never heard that one, Bellis!

Ann Erdman said...

Gadzooks -- I remember that word fondly. I've taken to uttering it occasionally now that he's passed away.

Petrea Burchard said...

Excellent, Ann, I love that one.

Jean-Marie said...

I read your blog regularly, but never make any comments. I am a naturalized citizen of the US, so I am not use to all these American slang words! But your Dad’s picture and reminiscing about his favorite sayings made me smile! I enjoyed your posting.

Pasadena Adjacent said...

Great photo - I wonder what it was that made him put on such a huge smile. Most portraits are kind of self conscious. Not this one

Ms M said...

A fun topic! I recall hearing my grandfather and my mother using some of these words. My contributions:
Dadgummit! and Dagnabbit!

Petrea Burchard said...

Bienvenue, Jean-Marie, and thank you for reading and commenting!

I don't know why he was comfortable with the camera, PA. Maybe he knew he was handsome, or the photographer made him laugh. I think he had a lot of confidence as a young man. He was born in 1916 and lived through the Depression, the Dust Bowl and World War II. Those things couldn't help but change him.

Petrea Burchard said...

Duly noted, Ms M, and thank you!

Anonymous said...

Twenty-three, with great expectations and a sunny disposition. And as if that weren't enough, Waldo rocks that snazzy suit.

Petrea Burchard said...

Oh, life.

Petrea Burchard said...

I just added "poppycock." I don't know how I left it out in the first place. Maybe it's a Mom Word?

TheChieftess said...

I am flummoxed!!! Usually I have gads of these ol' favorite words on the tip of my tongue and I can't come up with one new one!!! (except maybe gads!) All I can think of is my dad's little saying "slicker than deer guts on a door knob" or " Mort's Mortuary, you stab 'em we slab 'em"...
I know...a little sick...but I remember my dad answering the phone at dinner time with the Mort's Mortuary line!!!
Your dad looks like a happy person!!! Such a great photo!

TheChieftess said...

Now I'm really flummoxed!!! I don't know where gads came from...I meant scads!!!

Great list...I think you've just about hit them all!!!

Petrea Burchard said...

All right, in my book "gads," "egads" and "scads" are mom words. I may have to do another post.

Petrea Burchard said...

Cattywampus! Why didn't I remember? Do you think rumpus room should go on the list? It's two words, after all.

Anonymous said...

I love your dad's photo! He actually reminds me a little of my paternal grandfather.

My dad's words/phrases:

1. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. (It's all the same.)
2. It don't make me no nevermind (It doesn't matter to me.)
3. Gerry-rigged (put together haphazardly)
4. Good enough for government work (it's not perfect, but it's close enough)

There's also a lot of cussing in my family, but that's mostly my mom, so I will save that in case you do a mom post.:)

Petrea Burchard said...

These are great, Nicole. And now you've outed me as an old lady because I still say #1 and #3.