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This word: akimbo, kept buzzing since a few weeks ago some people and I talked about it.We assumed at first that it had to do with Eastern martial arts. I thought it might be Finn's.But it proves to be of Skandinavian, Icelandic origin, And it is not clear whether it's only arms on hips ,or set in a bent position, legs involved. Sometimes it is referred to as standing the cowboy way (high noon),two guns at hip heights. Does one of the linguists know more of this word than the somewhat contradictory dictionaries give? Webster:'s Online Dictionary: Akimbo Adjective 1. (used of arms and legs) bent outward with the joint away from the body; "a tailor sitting with legs akimbo"; "stood with arms akimbo". Adverb 1. With hands on hips and elbows extending outward; "she stood there akimbo". Source: WordNet. Date "akimbo" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1812. Etymology unknown. Compare to Kimbo.]. (Websters 1913 Encarta:a·kim·bo adjective, adverb Definition: 1. with hands on hips: with the hands on the hips and the elbows turned outward 2. arched: bent or arched [14th century. Origin ?] Merriam Webster:akimbo Etymology: Middle English in kenebowe 1 : having the hand on the hip and the elbow turned outward 2 : set in a bent position <a tailor sitting with legs akimbo> Online Ethymology: akimbo c.1400, in kenebowe, perhaps from phrase in keen bow "at a sharp angle," or from a Scand. word akin to Icelandic kengboginn "bow-bent." Many languages use a teapot metaphor for this, such as Fr. faire le pot a deux anses "to play the pot with two handles."
Last edited by BranShea; 10/04/07 08:16 PM.
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I don't see much difference in those def'ns; they all seem to allow arms OR legs for one sense, and hands on hips for another.
I don't think I've ever actually heard it spoken or read it except in reference to arms, as "she scolded him with arms akimbo," and certainly never without limbs attached!
-joe (slouching akimbo) friday
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That's true, only slightly different, but for an old English word it seems so un-English. Akimbo. I would think it Japanese
or anyway from the far East.
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Would "fixing" the spelling help? Astride the rainbow with arms akinbow bearing a flambeau.
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Ha!LOL! Well fixed! Mostly English now. I guess the flamebow must be headwear, unless the rainbow rider is a four armed creature.
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Only time I've heard "legs akimbo" was in a Firesign Theater routine and I think they were doing it with humorous intent.
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Picture the base of the torch in your hand near your hip while the staff is cradled in the crook of your elbow which is out from your body at an angle. (I just stuck that in for another non-English spelling. I didn't mean for you to try it at home.)
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Ha! I like the image.(big smile) You mind if I run to the flambeau shop tomorrow and buy one? I think I wanna practice anyway.
(will figure out the rainbow part later)
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There was a 'Legs Akimbo' [a girlie] character in a comic strip, but cannot remember the name of it. 
ÅΓª╥┐↕§
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Legz Akimbo is the name of the traveling theater company in "The League of Gentlemen" comedy series (BBC).
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Even the Word Detective isn't sure: Dear Word Detective: I've heard the word "akimbo," but I never knew what it meant until someone said "legs akimbo," so I now know it means "spread apart." But where does "akimbo" come from? -- Ben, via the internet.
"Akimbo" is one of the strangest words in the English language, and seems almost to have been invented to mystify folks, especially children. I remember reading many stories as a child in which various characters were described as standing with their "arms akimbo," and being utterly clueless as to what the term meant. Of course, after a little while it dawned on me that I was growing up in a house awash in dictionaries and so I looked it up, but it still strikes me as a very odd word.
For those readers who still haven't figured out what the word means, the late John Ciardi gave a vivid definition of "akimbo": "With hands on hips and elbows sharply bent outwards, a body posture indicating impatience, hostility or contempt." One of the odd things about "akimbo" is that, strictly speaking, the word only applies to this "hands on hips" stance, although metaphorical uses are occasionally seen, such as "legs akimbo" or even "mind akimbo."
The origins of "akimbo" are a bit obscure, but it most likely comes from the Old Norse "i keng boginn," meaning "bent in a curve" (the Norse "bogi" is also the source of our "bow"). The phrase entered English around 1400 as "in kenebow," and then spent the next few hundred years mutating through forms such as "on kenbow," "a kimbow," "a kenbo" and "a-kimbo" until it finally arrived at its modern hyphenless "akimbo" form.
W.D.
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Thank you so much , Jackie. I'm really happy to know that at least one person in this world of words thinks the word is as special as I think it is. And that you took the trouble to let me know.
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Hmm...I can see where it might sound Asian; but to me it also sounds like it might be African. [so what? to the experts e] Oh--you're welcome! [hug]
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Not the experts (hm, this time), but the tenacious ones. You are right, I was looking the wrong direction.I called an African friend who said Akimbo is an African surname.Then googled the cache pages on akimbo up to five and found proof: Akimbo A boy's name. And four children's books about Akimbo. Thanks Jackie. Ends a silly search ( though not sillier than some)[hug]
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Hujambo. Ndio, it does sound like Kiswaihili. Kwa herini. 
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Haya, tutaonana! 
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Mbote, Aramis, ndenge nini? Ozali malama?
Hello, Aramis, how do you do? are you OK?
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Habari yangu ni nzuri, Branny, starehe. Habari gani, Jackie?
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Ndenge nini? = habari gani?
Comment vas-tu?
Bazibaki nzela.
Ils barraient la route.
Jackie ni si hapa.
Jackie is not here.
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If you've ever come home late and drunk; (especially after you have just lost the mortgage at the race track) your spouse will certainly meet you at the head of the driveway with "arms akimbo".
If, however, you are perusing your newly planted garden as the sun is setting, and you rest your knuckles on your hips; you are "standing akimbo".
In amateur theatre, many actors stand akimbo because they do not know what else to do with their arms.
It's all about attitude.
Last edited by R. Eastcourt; 11/02/07 01:26 AM.
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Not much. Been kind of busy lately: church fall festival last week, relative in the hospital this week (surgery, but she's doing well); takes a fair amount of visiting/sitting-with time.
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