 | 22 November 2008 Accessibility help Text only |
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
| BBC Homepage | | |
| |||
| Contact Us Like this page? Send it to a friend! | | |
Inside The WordhuntThe second series of Balderdash & Piffle succeeded in rewriting 32 dictionary entries out of the 40 words and phrases on the original list. Balderdash & Piffle would like to take this opportunity to thank all the wordhunters who have emailed and written in with their suggestions, evidence and theories. This year's Wordhunt is over, but if you can trump the evidence presented so far, you can still contribute to the dictionary by contacting the OED:
Oxford English Dictionary The BBC is not responsible for the content of external web sites. One Sandwich Shortbananas - a bit loopyA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1968; information on the origins on the word FOUND: 1957 Fearless Fosdick cartoon as printed in the Ohio Chronicle Telegram bonkers - mad, 'crackers'A SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1957; information on the origins of the word FOUND: 1945 article in the Daily Mirror daft (or mad) as a brush - colloquial expression meaning 'bonkers' or 'bananas'A SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1945; information on the origins of the word FOUND: 1935 book The Labouring Life by H. Williamson der-brain - playground expressionA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1997 for a new OED entry FOUND: 1983 script of sitcom Father's Day one sandwich short of a picnic - lacking in common sense, a bit crazyA DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1993 FOUND IN THE SERIES: 1987 sketch in Lenny Henry's Christmas Special FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: 1985 article in the Brisbane-based Courier Mail Man's Best Frienddog and bone - rhyming slang for the telephoneSTILL UNSOLVED - can you help? WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1961. The telephone as we know it came into being in 1876, but the earliest evidence of its rhyming slang moniker is from 1961. Cockneys scratched their loaves but as yet no evidence has shown up. Send your evidence to the OED. the dog's bollocks - a cruder version of 'the bee's knees'A HUGE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1989 FOUND IN THE SERIES: New sense, meaning the typographical colon-dash as defined in E.Partridge's 1949 Dictionary of Slang 3rd ed. FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: 1986 recording of play The Gambler by Brewis, Goody and Smith ALSO FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: 1981 Superbike magazine, reference to "The absolute bollocks" mucky pup - a habitually untidy personA HUGE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1984. FOUND: 1977 punk song Mucky Pup by Puncture. FOUND: Ruth Miller's 1954 school exercise book. FOUND: 1934 recording of Dirty Little Tinker by Harry Hemsely shaggy dog story - a long and pointless yarnA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1946; information on the origins of the phrase FOUND: 1937 article in Esquire by J. Furnas sick puppy - affectionate name for 'a weirdo'A SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1984 FOUND: Article in a 1982 Boston Globe Euphemisms - the Lace Curtain of Languagedomestic - a violent quarrelA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1963. FOUND: 1962 draft script of the first episode of Z Cars glamour model - a topless or nude modelA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1981 FOUND: 1958 Glamour Guide loo - toilet, bathroomA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1940; information on the origins of the word FOUND: 1936 letter from Lady Diana Cooper to her husband Duff Cooper regime change - forced removal of a regimeA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1990 FOUND: 1987 article about US intentions in Libya published in the Washington Post whoopsie - a childish euphemism for excrementSTILL UNSOLVED - can you help? WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1973 Let us speak plainly here, did you do 'whoopsies' before 1973? This is one of the many euphemisms for excrement found in the OED, and it first appears in a script of 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'. But perhaps long before Frank Spencer came on to the scene, 'whoopsie' was the euphemism of choice in your household. Send your evidence to the OED. Dodgy Dealingsbung - a bribeSTILL UNSOLVED - can you help? WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1958; information on the origins of the word Rooting out evidence for the word bung is almost as tricky as catching Premiership managers in the act of ripping open their well-stuffed brown paper envelopes. The OED's first mention of 'bung' meaning bribe is from 1958. As well as an earlier reference they'd like to say more about its etymology than 'Origin Unknown'. Send your evidence to the OED. Glasgow kiss - a headbuttA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1987 FOUND: 1982 Daily Mirror article about Pope John Paul II's visit to Glasgow identity theft - fraudulent acquisition of personal informationA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1991 FOUND: 1989 article in a Florida newspaper the Sun Sentinel Jack the Lad - a fun loving chancerA DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1981 FOUND IN THE SERIES: 1970 cult movie Performance FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: Good Morning Brothers by Jack Dash, 1969 spiv - smartly dressed hustlerA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1934; information on the origins of the word FOUND: 1929 ref to 'spives' found in Crooks of the Underworld by C.G Gordon; etymology changed to include 1904 reference to crook Henry 'Spiv' Bagster from the Daily Mirror TWOC - acronym for 'taken without owners consent'A DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1990 FOUND IN THE SERIES: Murder Ink by D.Winn published in 1977 FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: 1972 entry in a policeman's notebook X-Rateddogging - watching or engaging in sexual acts in a public placeA DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1993 to warrant a new entry FOUND IN THE SERIES: Sex Maniac's Diary copyright 1986 by Tuppy Owens FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: New sense of 'dogger' - a person who goes dogging, as mentioned in Marc Almond's 1982 interview for Kicks magazine. kinky - sexually perverted or bizarreSTILL UNSOLVED - can you help? WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1959. According to the OED, people have been kinky since 1889. But if you were kinky before 1959 you weren't sexually adventurous, just a bit eccentric. Or were you? The earliest evidence in the OED for this sense is from Colin MacInnes's book Absolute Beginners, but if you dabbled in a little slap and tickle before 1959 and are prepared to admit to it, you might be able to prove that the word is older. Send your evidence to the OED. marital aid - a sex toyA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1976 FOUND: Article in the Californian Independent Press Telegram, 1969 pole dance - an erotic danceA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1992 FOUND: 1991 user net newsgroup thread - a dated internet chat forum. wolf-whistle - sign of attraction and approvalA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1952; information on the word's origin. FOUND: 1944 article in a Californian publication the Fresno Bee Put-Downs and Insultsplonker - a foolish twitA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1966. FOUND: Information which taught the dictionary a new sense of the word plonker. prat - a dolt or foolA DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1968; information on the origins of the word FOUND IN THE SERIES: Joe Orton play Entertaining Mr Sloane 1965 FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: E.Trevor's 1955 book Big Pick Up tosser - a term of contempt or abuseSTILL UNSOLVED - can you help? WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1977 We're not interested in the large Scotsman holding a caber - literally one who tosses. Instead we're after the term of contempt which John Prescott recently slung across the House of Commons in 2007, and which is first cited in the OED from 1977. The associated verb to toss off, in the sense of masturbation, dates from a century earlier, so surely we can find the OED some earlier tossers? Send your evidence to the OED. wally - one who is foolish, inept or ineffectualSTILL UNSOLVED - can you help? WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1969; information on the origins of the word This mild term of abuse is said by some to derive from the name Walter. But who was Walter and just what did he do to incite such scorn? A wally is also said to be an unfashionable person. But was the term in vogue before 1969? Get wally back a long way and it's the dictionary folks that will look like wallies. Send your evidence to the OED. wazzock - a stupid or annoying person, an idiotA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1984; information on the origins of the word FOUND: A 1976 recording of Mike Harding's One Man Show Who Were They?Bloody Mary - a drink containing vodka and tomato juiceA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1956; information about its origins. FOUND: 1939 article in the N.Y. Herald Tribune, including information about the creator of this 'newest pick-me-up,' George Jessel Gordon Bennett! - exclamation of surpriseA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1967; information on the origins of the phrase FOUND: 1937 J. Curtis book You're in the Racket, too! round robin - a newsy letter with multiple recipients, often sent at ChristmasMORE EVIDENCE REQUIRED WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1988 for a new entry The 'round robin' has been around for centuries and has served many purposes. It's a petition, a kind of fish, and even a small pancake. But the 'round robin' you're most likely to meet today is the kind you typically get at Christmas - the letter sent to multiple recipients reporting on family news, packed with fascinating info on Jemina's pilates, Hugo's viola exams, and the sad demise of the hamster. The Wordhunt found a reference from 1977 which used the phrase round robin as an adjective - a Christmas letter that began 'Muriel and I are taking this round-robin means of addressing our greetings and sending our love and good wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.' The OED have kept this on file, for when they have sufficient evidence for the noun usage of 'round robin' in its Christmas letter sense, but for now they are not updating the dictionary. Send your evidence to the OED.
take the mickey - to mock or make fun of a person or thingSTILL UNSOLVED - can you help? WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1948; information on the origins of the phrase The OED isn't certain, but says this might be cockney rhyming slang honouring one Mike or Mickey Bliss. If we could find out anything at all about Mr Bliss, we might establish whether the OED are on to something or themselves taking the Michael. Several different versions of the expression arose in the 1930s and 40s. To 'take the mike' seems to have come first in 1935, followed by 'take the piss' in 1945. 'Take the mickey' doesn't appear until 1948, unless you know better. Send your evidence to the OED. Fashionistasflip-flop - sandal with thongA DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1970. FOUND IN THE SERIES: Dot Strong's diary entry for 2 July 1960 FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: An RAAF serviceman's 1958 customs and excise declaration upon leaving Malaya hoodie - someone wearing a hoodie, often regarded as socially disruptiveA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence of the clothing before 1990 and the person before 1994 FOUND: A citation and cartoon illustration of a hoodie (the person) in Temple Manor School's spring magazine from 1991 shell-suit - shiny chav-wearA SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1989 FOUND: 1978 reference in the Charleston Daily Mail from West Virginia stiletto - a killer heeled shoeA MULTIPLE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1959 for stiletto and stiletto heel FOUND IN THE SERIES: 1952 stiletto heel in the Independent-Press-Telegram and a 1953 advertisement for 'Florentine stilettos' in the Newark (Ohio) Advocate FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: 1931 'stiletto' heel in the Vidette Messenger, Indiana trainer - sports shoeA DOUBLE SUCCESS FOR THE WORDHUNT WANTED: Verifiable evidence before 1978 FOUND IN THE SERIES: 1968 World Sports Magazine advert for a brand of Gola shoe known as the Gola 'Trainer'. The OED concluded that this might have etymological significance but was a trade name not a generic usage FOUND AFTER THE SERIES: 1977 Gola Catalogue advert for the Cobra trainer |
| | About the BBC | Help | Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookies Policy Advertise with us |