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
cattywampus
claptrap
dadgummit! and dagnabbit! (complete with exclamation points, courtesy of Ms M)
dungarees (with thanks to Eric Baker)
dadgummit! and dagnabbit! (complete with exclamation points, courtesy of Ms M)
dungarees (with thanks to Eric Baker)
flibbertigibbet
flummoxed
gadzooks (thanks to Ann Erdman)
gadzooks (thanks to Ann Erdman)
gumption
hornswaggle
nincompoop
nitwit
numbskull
pipsqueak
poppycock
poppycock
post-prandial
rapscallion (thank you, Bellis)
rapscallion (thank you, Bellis)
skedaddle
smidgen
thingamajig
ReplyDeleteI can hear my dad saying these! Thanks so much for the laugh :-)
Ha! Heard several of these!
ReplyDelete"Bumbershoot" made me think of it, being appropriate for today.
ReplyDeleteMany 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.
ReplyDeleteDungarees is added! Thank you, Eric, that's perfect.
ReplyDeleterapscallion.
ReplyDeleteGood one, Bellis. Added.
ReplyDeleteLove your Dad's smile!. What is bumbershoot,flibbertigibbet,and hornswaggle?
ReplyDeleteLove your Dad's portrait. As to the words, well, they're all new to me! :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, 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.
ReplyDeleteFab photo, Petrea.
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.
ReplyDeleteMy dad's smile lit the day, KBF. Your questions:
ReplyDeletebumbershoot: 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!
Gadzooks -- I remember that word fondly. I've taken to uttering it occasionally now that he's passed away.
ReplyDeleteExcellent, Ann, I love that one.
ReplyDeleteI 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.
ReplyDeleteGreat 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
ReplyDeleteA fun topic! I recall hearing my grandfather and my mother using some of these words. My contributions:
ReplyDeleteDadgummit! and Dagnabbit!
Bienvenue, Jean-Marie, and thank you for reading and commenting!
ReplyDeleteI 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.
Duly noted, Ms M, and thank you!
ReplyDeleteTwenty-three, with great expectations and a sunny disposition. And as if that weren't enough, Waldo rocks that snazzy suit.
ReplyDeleteOh, life.
ReplyDeleteI just added "poppycock." I don't know how I left it out in the first place. Maybe it's a Mom Word?
ReplyDeleteI 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"...
ReplyDeleteI 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!
Now I'm really flummoxed!!! I don't know where gads came from...I meant scads!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat list...I think you've just about hit them all!!!
All right, in my book "gads," "egads" and "scads" are mom words. I may have to do another post.
ReplyDeleteCattywampus! Why didn't I remember? Do you think rumpus room should go on the list? It's two words, after all.
ReplyDeleteI love your dad's photo! He actually reminds me a little of my paternal grandfather.
ReplyDeleteMy 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.:)
These are great, Nicole. And now you've outed me as an old lady because I still say #1 and #3.
ReplyDelete