It’s a crazy language and probably the loopiest of all the tongues. It is replete with the words that are amusing & entertaining. Translations from any other language to English can be made more interesting using them. Let’s take a look at some of them:
Bumfuzzle
The definition of the word is: “confuse, perplex, fluster”. The word may be initially written as dumfound, which then go changed into dumfoozle & then into bumfoozle. While dumfound (or dumbfound) is a very common word but this word bumfuzzle is very rare. The word may be used as- “Oz can bumfuzzle any team.”
Cattywampus
Means: “askew, awry, or kitty-corner.” It is said that the English gamblers called the four dotted side of a die cater. The way the four dots are placed suggested two diagonal lines, which is how to cater go its meaning “to place, move or cut across diagonally.” So catercorner changed to kitty-corner and caterwampus-and eventually cattywampus- followed.
Taradiddle
Defined as “a fib” & “pretentious nonsense,” myth has it that taradiddle got its birth in the Irish town Taradiddle, Ireland; but that itself is a taradiddle as there is no such city in Ireland. While it is not known where the word comes from, but It has been a favorite of writers ranging from Balzac to Trollope. Famous lyricist W.S. Gilbert used it in two operas.
Billingsgate
The word means “coarsely abusive language.” Billingsgate is the name of the fish market in London whose merchants were notorious for its vulgar language. The word is in existence from the 14th century.
Snickersnee
The word means “to engage in cut-and-thrust fighting with knives” & “a large knife.” The word comes from the Dutch phrase steken of shijden, “to thrust or cut.” With the passage of time snick & snee, snick-or-snee, & snickersnee followed.
Widdershins
It means in a “left-handed or contrary direction”; “counter-clockwise.” The language got this word from an old German word that meant “to go against.” The word is in use since the mid-1500s as a synonym for counterclockwise. In the initial 200 years of the word’s life, it had other meanings as well. It was used to describe the bad hair day when the unruly hair stands on the end or go the wrong way.
Collywobbles
The word means “pain in the abdomen & especially in the stomach; a bellyache.” Etymologists believe that the word has its origin in cholera morbus a Latin term for cholera. The word gradual transformation is believed to be influenced by the words colic & wobble.
In the end, translation from any language to English can be easily done by availing our translation & interpretation services. Experts ensure that you get the best translation so why not give us a call @ 888-670-3369.