a UK subscriber suggested this word to me. is it in common use? it would seem to lend itself only to sarcasm.

When someone is lamenting about some minor disappointment, one might say, "Ahhh. Diddums." I guess the intent is to take a gentle poke at them for being a bit babyish, but I would say that it is not meant to be hurtful.

What USns might say, "Poor baby"?

Yuh goddit.

What a terrific word for 'poor baby'! I wouldn't say 'poor baby' to anybody, but diddums, I would.

I don't know how common (or not) this is, but when one of us kids was doing a hollywood over something, my mother would often say "Diddums wazzums chooo". Sarcastically or ironically, depending on context, I guess.

And, pfranz, 'doing a Hollywood over something' is a useful phrase, too. Plan on using it first chance I get.

"Diddums wazzums chooo

this reminds me of some song...? diddum diddum wattum choo...

anybody?

Three Little Fishies
Down in a meadow
In an itty bitty pool
Swam three little fishies
And a mommy fishie too
Swim said the momma fishie,
Swim if you can
So they swam and they swam
Right over the damn

Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
And they swam and they swam
Right over the damn.

Stop cried the mommy fish
Or you will get lost
But the three little fishies
Didn't wanna be bossed
The three little fishies
Went off on a spree
And they swam and they swam
Right out to the sea

Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
And they swam and they swam
Right out to the sea

Wee squealed the fishies
We're havin some fun
We'll swim in the sea
Till the day is done
They swam and they swam
Until it was dark
When all of a sudden
They saw shark

Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
Till all of a sudden
They saw a shark

Help cried the fishies
Look at the whale
And quick as they could
They turned on their tail
And back to the itty bitty pool they swam
And they swam and they swam
Back over the damn

Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
Boop Boop diddum daddum waddum choo
And they swam and they swam
Back over the damn


This is the one I remember hearing - one link said it was from 1939 - a little before my time but

Oh, thank you, Nancy! My mother used to sing that--no wonder CK's mother's phrase sounded familiar to me, too! Though she didn't sing it AT me--*I* was a good girl. <eg> Mercy--obviously that song got world-wide playing!

That song is one that drives the Reverend Lawrence Shannon up the wall as he acts as the tour guide through Mexico for the Baptist college ladies who keep singing it and other nursery songs. "Fantastic, fantastic..." he keeps mumbling to himself. Burton is brilliant as Shannon in "Night of the Iguana."

Three Little Fishies

that's it! thanks, Nancy!!



although, this song is definitely an earworm, so I may be mad at you later...

You're darned tootin' it is, eta! I've had those 3 lines (well, one, really) running through my head off and on all day, through an afternoon of shopping and then watching the Kentucky Derby (on TV).

You're darned tootin' it is, eta! I've had those 3 lines (well, one, really) running through my head off and on all day, through an afternoon of shopping and then watching the Kentucky Derby (on TV).

In reply to:

---

You're darned tootin'

---

I think I've only ever heard this on Westerns before. I understand it as an emphatic agreement, but why should it be?

Bingley

You're darned tootin'

only ever heard this on Westerns

And even then, only from the grizzled old sidekick.

but why should it be?
Why shouldn't it be, gol-durn it?

All right, I'll rephrase the question: Where does the expression 'darned tootin" come from?

Bingley

Kentucky?

From a mommy and daddy expression that loved each other very much?

No, I like Kentucky. Seems ... right, somehow ...