Aug 23 2005
“Caddywompus” or “catawampus”?
A US person spoke this word. I suspect his intent was to befuddle me. He then refused to spell it. He protested that it is spoken, not spelt. Hmmmm teasing…
Here is one explanation of the word that matches the others I have found on-line
“The first element of the word, “cata,” is probably related to “cater,” also found in the related word “catercorner” (or, as many folks know it, “cattycorner” or “kittycorner”). “Cater” in these words is an Anglicization of the French “quatre,” or “four,” and “catercornered” originally just meant “four-cornered.” To specify that something is “catercorner across” from something else is to stress the diagonal axis of an imaginary box, as opposed to saying “directly across” or just “across.” Both “catercorner” and “catawampus” are native American colloquialisms dating back to the 1880’s or earlier.” (scroll down on source)
For my UK English readers getting directions from US locals, ‘Catercorner’, or ‘kittycorner’ simply means ‘diagonally opposite’.
The same source also describes ‘wampus’ :
“The “wampus” part of “catawampus” is a real puzzler. It may have come from the Scots word “wampish,” meaning “to wriggle or twist,” which would certainly seem to fit with “catawampus” meaning “askew” or “crooked.” But “wampus” also may have been a completely nonsensical element, made up by someone because it sounded funny.. “
WWW (Wendy-Wriggly-Wampus)
write the first thought on “Caddywompus” or “catawampus”?
