Katie Bates and Nathan Bates
What's a doohickey? Well that's easy; a doohickey is a thingamabob! See how the Bates define it in the Southern Speak video below. Have you ever heard the word doohickey, or any of the other terms mentioned in the clip?
Photo/video courtesy of UP
I'm from New Jersey and have never heard any of those terms. We actually use proper English in that part of the country.
ReplyDeleteOh please, I'm from New Zealand the land of correct English and we all use these terms
DeleteRude!
DeleteI'm from New Jersey and we do say and know how to use doohickey and thingamajig! Guess you can use slang and proper English in NJ
DeleteSo do you consider the rest of us cattywompus?
DeleteYou have had a deprived childhood if you don't have doohickey, thingamajig, and thingamabob in your vocabulary.
DeleteYep Isn't NJ where you pronounce dog as dawg. LOL
DeleteNot to be unkind, but just because one uses slang doesn’t mean they’re a hick or stupid. Though, as you say, you are not accustomed to it, if someone uses informal ways of speaking such as “cattywompus” “doohickey” and such, they are no less of a person for speaking differently than you’re used to.
DeleteOriginally from the New England area and I heard plenty of those terms there. Not sure why Anon 9:46 is so nasty about "proper" English. I'm sure you use plenty of slang yourself in day-to-day conversation.
ReplyDeleteI am 9:46 and I actually do not use slang. I was not allowed to use slang in any form as a child. My parents would tell me to "stop talking like a hick" or "you sound so stupid" whenever I would use it, so it is not something I am accustomed to.
Delete9:46, I'm sorry to hear that your parents said you sound stupid, but you've got to be joking about New Jersey, right? I'm sure we all know people from New Jersey who use slang and much worse.
DeleteWow, I'm sorry that your parents said you sounded stupid too. I try very hard to not say anything like that to my kids, and the one time it slipped out, I feel terrible, and my child remembers it several years later. I hope they were more encouraging to you in other areas of life!
Delete9:46 here again. I really am from New Jersey and people here use extremely colorful language, probably from the result of the way people drive. My parents were more than encouraging in other areas of my life. They just had no tolerance for slang and due to the nature of my job (HS teacher), it would be extremely unprofessional to use it. My students on the other hand, use it all the time and I don't tell them to stop using it, unless it is vulgar.
DeleteLol, this is funny! I've heard of a thingamabob, and a thingamajig, but that's it. I come from Pennsylvania.
ReplyDeleteA doohickey is what you call something when you have a brain freeze & can't think of what it's actually called. I have used this word quite a few times! Lol.
ReplyDeleteYes! I have heard of and used doohickey and thingamabob. Must be a southern thing.
ReplyDeleteI have definitely said doohickey and whatchamacallit. Pretty much used all those terms when I can't thing of what I'm trying to say.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Bew Jersey and I have heard and used doohickey and thingamajig! Some people don't get out much!
ReplyDeleteProper English is no fun. Sounds like your doohickey is lollygagging.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Indiana and have heard both doohickey and thingamabob. We still use proper English, it's just a silly phrase when you can't think of the actual word of whatever you are thinking of.
ReplyDeleteI am from California and I have heard of doohickey and thingamabob....
ReplyDeleteSo funny! I love these clips.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Georgia and yes I've heard all but one of those words and use them myself ;)
ReplyDeleteDoohicky the word from the South
ReplyDeleteI'm from New Jersey and I have heard those terms. It's just a word to use when you can't recall the specific name of something.
ReplyDeleteMy parents lived in the south until teenagers, so maybe that's why I've heard of all these words! I don't think there's one that I haven't heard before (or maybe used myself), and I was raised up north and live in California now.
ReplyDeleteI'm from Toronto, Canada,and I've used both of those words many times. They come in handy when you cannot think of the real name of the item you're talking about!
ReplyDeleteI'm from North of pronto and I totally agree! I have used the term many times and it always seems that the person you are speaking to knows just what you mean! :)
DeleteSorry I meant toronto not pronto, my phone conspires against me!
Deletethingamabob, thingamajig, thingamajiggy, the thingy, and doohickey are all things we say in Virginia
ReplyDeleteI also say watchamacallit
DeleteBorn & raised in California! Majored in English, yet know ALL of above terms. I've used them when having brain "moments". It's all in good humor.
ReplyDeleteSorry guys! The Bates family didn't think this up!
ReplyDeleteBorn and raised in Los Angeles -- we use all those words and more.
ReplyDeleteGrew up in Australia and New Zealand - doohicky etc. are in common use here too.
ReplyDeleteMy go-to noun is thingamajig. Very useful when the brain freezes up.
ReplyDelete