Well, there have a number of thunderstorms recently, and I haven't been allowed to play outside, so I've had to sit in watching cowboy films. I wonder if all you lovely people could embroider me a comprehensive history of the phrase rootin' tootin'. Please feel free to add any other cowboy slang you think may be appropriate.
-- Garzo the Dude.
Rootin' Tootin'
-
- Lexiterian
- Posts: 137
- Joined: Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:22 pm
- Location: A place to cross the river Thames with your Oxen
- Contact:
Rootin' Tootin'
"Poetry is that which gets lost in translation" — Robert Frost
"My website", as BD calls it, says this:
Reduplicated form rootin' tootin' "noisy, rambunctious" is recorded from 1875.
Not much else I can say...
-Tim
Reduplicated form rootin' tootin' "noisy, rambunctious" is recorded from 1875.
Not much else I can say...
-Tim
-
- Great Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 2578
- Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 3:56 pm
- Location: Crownsville, MD
Looking at "root" by itself:"My website", as BD calls it, says this:
Reduplicated form rootin' tootin' "noisy, rambunctious" is recorded from 1875.
Not much else I can say...
-Tim
root (v2.)
"cheer, support," 1889, Amer.Eng., originally in a baseball context, probably from root (v.1) via intermediate sense of "study, work hard" (1856).
as well as:
and the other half:root[sup]3[/sup]
INTRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: root·ed, root·ing, roots
1. To give audible encouragement or applause to a contestant or team; cheer. See synonyms at applaud. 2. To lend support to someone or something.
ETYMOLOGY: Possibly alteration of rout[sup]3[/sup].
OTHER FORMS: rooter —NOUN
rout[sup]3[/sup]
INTRANSITIVE VERB: Inflected forms: rout·ed, rout·ing, routs
Chiefly British To bellow. Used of cattle.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English routen, to roar, from Old Norse rauta.
So we see that a tooin' tootin' cowboy could be not only boisterous but also inebriated!VERB: Inflected forms: toot·ed, toot·ing, toots
INTRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To sound a horn or whistle in short blasts. 2. To make the sound of a horn or whistle blown in short blasts or a sound resembling it. 3. Slang To snort cocaine.
TRANSITIVE VERB: 1. To blow or sound (a horn or whistle). 2. To sound (a blast, for example) on a horn or whistle. 3. Slang To snort (cocaine).
NOUN: 1. A blast, as of a horn. 2. Slang A drinking binge. 3. Slang Cocaine, especially a small amount snorted at one time.
ETYMOLOGY: Ultimately of imitative origin.
OTHER FORMS: tooter —NOUN
And of course, "root" has a whole other meaning "Down Under!"
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests