Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#52179 01/08/2002 4:04 PM
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1
stranger
stranger
Offline
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1
What is the origin of "You betcha"?


#52180 01/08/2002 4:41 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
What is the origin of "You betcha"?


My guess would be that it is a shortening of "you betcher ___________(fill in the blank, life, bippie, whatever)" which would be a careless pronunciation of "you bet your ___________"


#52181 01/08/2002 4:48 PM
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Dear Faldage,

That explanation would have never occurred to me.

What about Gotcha! then? Does that follow suit? No, I suppose it doesn't. It's just a simple, "Got you!"

I wonder what "Stotcha!" might mean?

WW


#52182 01/08/2002 5:25 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Does Gotcha! follow suit? No, I suppose it doesn't.

I suppose you suppose correctly.

"Stotcha!" is what the cheetah says to the gemsbok.


#52183 01/08/2002 7:07 PM
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Cute, Faldage, very cute.

Or to that tiny antelope, the dikdik, but I don't know whether the dikdik stots or not.

DD


#52184 01/08/2002 7:09 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
The Archie & Mehitabel books Hymie Verick! were made into a musical, which has a song where the two lead characters call themselves Flotsam and Jetsam on the sea of life -- anbd use the like construction:

Flotsam! If you want flotsam we gottsom!
Jetsam! If we don't gotsom we'll gettsom!



#52185 01/09/2002 4:03 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
old hand
old hand
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 866
Always wondered what a bippie was - as in "you betcha sweet bippie". Thought I'd seen it spelt "bippee"??

stales


#52186 01/09/2002 4:25 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 688
addict
addict
Offline
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 688
Always wondered what a bippie was - as in "you betcha sweet bippie". Thought I'd seen it spelt "bippee"??

I never saw it spelled before, only heard it on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh In". But always wondered where my bippie (bippee?) is (was?). I'm sooooooo confused!


#52187 01/09/2002 4:07 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,605
I personally have always been of the opinion that "bippie" ought to be a plural noun.


#52188 01/09/2002 5:49 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
according to one online source, "bippy" is prison slang for a small paper cone of cleaning powder used for scouring cells. but one wonders if this lends itself to "you bet your sweet bippy" and the like.


#52189 01/09/2002 6:08 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 13,803
one wonders if this lends itself to "you bet your sweet bippy" and the like.

Perhaps Rowan and Martin just liked the sound of it.


#52190 01/09/2002 6:13 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
>Perhaps Rowan and Martin just liked the sound of it.

wot a furshlugginer idea!



Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,915
Posts230,287
Members9,208
Most Online4,606
Sep 17th, 2025
Newest Members
JerryC, blvd, Tony Hood, Wood Delivery, Forix Richard
9,208 Registered Users
Top Posters(30 Days)
JerryC 1
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 11,140
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,974
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2026 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.1