|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 163
member
|
OP
member
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 163 |
I always thought of this word as being British, however, I can only find it on dictionary.com. It does not appear in the OED. Can anyone shed any light on its origins?
Thanks,
Rousépeteur
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 742 |
Is it Canadian English for "WELCOME BACK!", by any chance?  I hope that this forecasts an improvement in the chances of you fronting up for the foreseeable future.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
By golly, bless my brolly, Rousepeteur posting again! Oh, happy day! parapluie, gamp, umbrella! You're an extra welcome fella! Parasol, that's not all! No parachute? Don't try a bumbershoot! Here's what Quinion said: http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-bum2.htm
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
Tu est rousé maintenant, mon ami? C'est tout la même à moi. Bienvenue! Je suis enchanté pour te voir encore! Oh--tu as une question! Uh-oh--you might not like this, but here's a quote from the Word Detective:
While "bumbershoot" may sound exotic, its origin is remarkably straightforward: it's just a frivolous combination of the "umb" of "umbrella" and the "chute" of "parachute," which umbrellas vaguely resemble, after all. Although "bumbershoot" sounds to many people like an eccentric English, almost Tolkien-esque invention, it's actually an American coinage and the term is generally unknown in Britain. Today "bumbershoot" tends to be used, if at all, in cutesy weather reports ("So take the bumbershoot, all the way from Texas to the Great Lakes," CBS This Morning, 1992). http://www.word-detective.com/112402.html#bumbershoot
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
>the "umb" of "umbrella"
one is tempted to say, "the 'umbr-' of umbrella." (as does M-W)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Let us not take umbrage over absemce of an r- .
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
It's always good to see the poetic side of Dr Bill erupt.
Hey, Rouspeteur, welcome back to the asylum.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636 |
*hehheh*
You thought you could escape us, mon amie. Mais non![twirling my imaginary, luxurious moustaches-e]
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,614
Members9,187
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
0 members (),
283
guests, and
1
robot. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
