Love for Words — bumbershoot
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December 18, 2016
___ Someone with a sense of humor coined the word bumbershoot.
’Tis a slang word for umbrella. While mainstream opinion credits the “bumbershoot” origin to Great Britain, scholars point to North America.
This in tracing first usage of this word. WorldwideWords.org cites a printed reference to it in 1912, via an American novelist L. Frank Baum novel.
An article by modern day American author Ben Yagoda, in his research to “bumbershoot” origin, asserts that as late as 1933 this word did not show up in British written publications.
Both sources cite the 1968 American movie “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” as the first mainstream view of a using the word “bumbershoot.” Here, an English widower, played by American actor Dick Van Dyke sings a song including lyrics
“… You can have me hat or me bumbershoot
But you’d better never bother with me ol’ bam-boo …”
The song was written by American lyricists, both sources point out.
Yet Mr. Van Dyke as an English character, singing in an English accent, might have been a widespread ready belief as “bumbershoot” having Great Britain origins.
That, and in my opinion, that “bumbershoot” sounds like British slang.
Ahhh, yet go back to written references, and the origin of “bumbershoot” points to the United States, particularly the East Coast.
On whichever side of The Pond, the one who coined “bumbershoot” with its funny-sounding alternative to “umbrella,” kept the “umber” that is close to the umbrella Latin “umbre” root, that means “shade” or “providing shade.”
That said, “bumbershoot” seems to have more British usage today.
With the exception: The Seattle, Washington USA annual “Bumbershoot” festival, founded in 1973. Folks believe this event is so named because Seattle has a rainy climate.
Do you know someone who uses the word bumbershoot?
*Previous “Love for Words” feature: Umbrella.
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This Jacquée T. Writer in Residence featured Word is brought to you by supporting sponsors, including GoBrolly Internet High Speed based in Louisburg, Kansas.
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