Codswallop: Difference between revisions
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The word '''''codswallop''''', primarily a [[British English]] term meaning "[[nonsense]]", is an [[interjection]] of uncertain origin. |
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Popular etymology claims an ancient and vernacular origin for the word{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}, with ''cod'' being interpreted from Germanic word for "bag" and later a Middle English term for the male genitals (as in [[codpiece]]). The ''wallop'' component can be referred to separately: [[Merriam-Webster]] gives it as the [[Middle English]] ''"walopen"'', meaning to gallop. |
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Another popular etymology places the word's origins in the [[brewing]] industry. In 1876, [[United Kingdom|British]] [[soft drink]] maker [[Hiram Codd]] designed and patented a [[bottle]] designed specifically for [[carbonation|fizzy]] drinks, there was a glass ball at the top of the neck on the bottle, the only way to access the fizzy drink was to wallop the glass ball thus codswallop. Codd purposely designed the bottle this way as he was having problems with his fizzy drinks going flat, the ball at the top of the bottle stopped the gases in the fizzy drinks escaping. Though his [[Bottle#Codd-neck bottles|Codd-neck bottle]] was a success in the fizzy drink industry, [[alcohol]] drinkers disparaged Codd's invention, often saying it was only good for "wallop" (a [[slang]] term for [[beer]] in the late-19th century). The term soon became "Codd's Wallop" and was eventually used for anything of low-quality or rubbish.<ref>http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutwordorigins/codswallop</ref> |
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Yet another theory has to do with [[cod]]. When cod was landed it went into the sheds for cleaning & preparation. The cold & wet waste trimmings from what were large fish would hit the ground with a distinctive sound, "wallop". By association, the word codswallop became used for any significant amount of sloppy rubbish & from there, for significant spoken/written rubbish.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} |
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The [[Oxford English Dictionary]] had the earliest instance of the word being used in 1963, but the [[BBC]] series ''[[Balderdash & Piffle]]'' found an earlier appearance, in a 1959 episode of ''[[Hancock's Half Hour]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/01_january/20/piffle.shtml|title=Press Release: Balderdash & Piffle viewers get BBC programme of their own as nation goes word crazy|last=BBC Press Office|date=2006-01-20|publisher =BBC website|accessdate=2008-10-06}}</ref> |
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In 2009 British animation team [[The Brothers McLeod]] were nominated in the Short Animation category of the [[BAFTA]] Film Awards for their film ''Codswallop''.<ref>{{imdb title|1337596}}</ref> |
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== Notes == |
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{{reflist}} |
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== External links == |
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* [http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-cod1.htm World Wide Words] |
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* [http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutwordorigins/codswallop AskOxford FAQ] |
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[[Category:Interjections]] |
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[[Category:British English]] |
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Revision as of 20:12, 13 May 2010
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