If someone asked you to “pass the funny dingdong”, would you know what they wanted?
With the context that you are watching TV, you might have a better idea what they wanted.
According to Fry’s English Delight, a programme about language on BBC Radio Four, funny dingdong is one of the many ways of referring to the TV remote control.
Others include blatter, zapper, blitter, kuhdumpfer, dimmer, mando, squirter, twanger, widget, pote-eator, splonker, tinky toot, wizz wizz, and plinky.
Do you have other names for the remote control?
Other interesting made-up words mentioned on the programme include gruglums – the bits left in the sink after you’ve done the washing up, and floordrobe – where teenagers file their clothes.
It’s “dongle” or “dibber” with us.
My Macedonian friend used to call her remote control “my handle”.
Other made up words: if the food is good, but not “diet” at all, it is “calorific”. On any normal day I’ll answer the question “how are you” with: “fantabulous”. However, if I feel sick, I am “craptastic”.
I’ve always called that “a clicker,” as have my mom and my sister. I can’t think of anyone outside of my family calling it that, but I never realized that wasn’t the standard name for the “remote”. The only one on your list I’ve heard of is the “zapper”.
@Knitter I never knew “calorific” was a made up word. I learned it when I was younger from someone who is very well educated with quite the impressive vocabulary, so I assumed she just knew a word that I didn’t. She’s a good cook and makes a potato casserole that’s to die for, but it’s got so much cream, butter, cheese, etc. in it, that if you eat it more than once a year, you may literally die for it. We call it her “calorific potatoes.” She is also a knitting enthusiast… Could it be?