[lit-ideas] Pom-pom
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2004 09:09:56 EDT
We are discussing 'pom-pom' and 'pom-pom'. Here we have, as usual, another
case of 'heteronymy'.
The OED has two entries: 'pom-pom-1' and 'pom-pom-2'. 'Pom-pom-1' is of
French origin, 'of uncertain origin, possibly a colloq. deriv of 'pompe'.
Quotes
below. First cite: 1748). The second, 'pom-pom-2' is 'echoic' -- first cite
1899. Also below.
Now, interestingly, under this second use, the OED has a _second_ *usage*
(which is odd, since we would have to be able to check that users of 'pom-pom'
in this usage are aware that they are using the word in the sense of 'maxim',
which I doubt -- if not why not a _third_ entry, then?). In any case, the
meaning of this sub-usage is, "a representation of a repetitive sound, e.g. the
beat of a popular tune or poem. Also pom-pom-pom, etc."
Since this is the literature and ideas list, I quote here the quotes --
below. One by Huxley, "Pom, pom, where we are? .. as the old song says"
suggests
there's an old song with that words. Possibly an old song. -- Cheers,
JL
---
Cites for 'pom-pom':
1909 BEERBOHM Lett. to R. Turner (1964) 181
They have been re-printing Yet Again. Second impression ready within a few
days. Pom-pom-pom.
1916 A. HUXLEY Let. 31 Mar. (1969) 95
Time percolates with a distressing rapidity through the coffee-machines of
life... So you see, pom, pom, where we are?..as the old song says.
1945 W. STEVENS Let. 26 Jan. (1967) 485
Many lines exist because I enjoy their clickety-clack in contrast with the
more decorous pom-pom-pom that people expect.
1978 M. KENYON Deep Pocket ix. 105 Pom pom pom pom pom, something sweet
Willies.
-----
pom-pom-1
(http://0-dictionary.oed.com.csulib.ctstateu.edu/cgi/entry_main/00183761?query_type=word&queryword=pom-pom&edition=
2e&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&search_id=hErm-LHYJnE-1566&result_place=1&case_id=hErm-bgHMLJ-1568&p=0&sp=0&
qt=1&ct=0&ad=#top) Etym. a. F. pompon (1725 in Hatz.-Darm.) a tuft,
top-knot; of uncertain origin; possibly a colloq. deriv. of pompe, pomp. OF.
had
pompon, pompion, but this seems unconnected.]
1. A jewel or ornament attached to a long pin; a tuft or bunch of ribbon,
velvet, flowers, threads of silk, etc., formerly worn in the hair, or on the
cap or dress; now worn on women's and children's hats and shoes, and used to
ornament the borders of mantles; also, the round tuft on a soldier's or
sailor's
cap, the front of a shako, etc. Also attrib.
1748 Song in Charmer (1751) II. 51 While you're placing a patch, or
adjusting pong pong. 1748 Lond. Mag. (Fairholt), Pong-pong, an ornament worn
by the
ladies in the middle of the forepart of their head-dress. Their figures,
size, and composition are various, such as butterflies, feathers, tinsel,
coxcomb
lace, etc. 1753 CHESTERFIELD in World No. 18 11 â??How do you like my pompon,
papa?â?? continued my daughter..putting up her hand to her head, and showing
me
in the middle of her hair a complication of shreds and rags of velvets,
feathers, and ribbands, stuck with false stones of a thousand colours. 1754
MRS.
DELANY in Life & Corr. (1861) III. 300 Lady Betty is to have a very fine sprig
of pearl diamonds and turquoises for her hair, by way of pomponne. 1782 F.
BURNEY Cecilia I. v, A milliner may have sent a wrong pompoon. 1826 Hist.
Pelham, Mass. (1898) 191 Voted that the town will furnish the Money to
purchase
Pompons and feathers. 1840 BARHAM Ingol. Leg. Ser. I. Leech Folkest., Pieces
of black pointed wire with which, in the days of toupees and pompoons, our
foremothers were wont to secure their fly-caps and head-gear. 1887 Daily News
6
Jan. 3/1 Black gauze dotted over with pompons of chenille of about the size
of a shilling. 1897 S. CRANE in Westm. Gaz. 3 May 2/2 The blue sailor
bonnets with their red pom-poms. 1904 P. N. HASLUCK Upholstery 19 Pom-poms are
used
for ornamenting upholsterers' work. To make a pom-pom lap a wool or
cardboard washer with three or four thicknesses of fibres. 1924 D. H. LAWRENCE
Pansies
148 My! the bloomin' pom-poms! Even as trimmings they're stale. 1927 [see
_EVZONE_
(http://0-dictionary.oed.com.csulib.ctstateu.edu/cgi/crossref?query_type=word&queryword=pom-pom&edition=2e&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&sear
ch_id=hErm-LHYJnE-1566&result_place=1&xrefed=OED&xrefword=Evzone) , EVZONE].
1952 GRANVILLE Dict. Theatr. Terms 139 Pom-pom dress, the conventional
Pierrot costume of white pantaloons, white jacket, decked with black pom-poms,
or
any other good combinations of colour. 1968 Listener 3 Oct. 445/3 The making
of Bunny Girls' pom-poms for export. 1975 Times 9 Dec. 9/8 Mink
jacket..has..mink pom-pom ties at the neck. 1977 Time 4 Apr. 42/2 He has rigged
it with
100,000 steel darts, which, if detonated at just the right moment, can wipe
out
everybody in the stadium, down to the last pompon girl.
2. A variety of chrysanthemum, and of dahlia, bearing small globular
flowers. Also attrib. Also, one of a group of dwarf varieties of Rosa
centifolia
with small double flowers. Also with capital initial.
1843 Florist's Jrnl. IV. 106 R[osa] centifolia (the Provence or Cabbage
rose), with its varieties, including the â??mossyâ?? and â??pomponeâ?? roses.
1861
Morn. Post 12 Nov., The pompons, or dwarf chrysanthemums. 1866 Treas. Bot.
s.v. Chrysanthemum, Chrysanthemums are classed by growers into Large-flowered,
Anemone-flowered, Pompons, and Anemone-flowered Pompons. Ibid. s.v. Dahlia, A
race of pompons with remarkably small flower-heads has been obtained. 1869
[see _MINIATURE_
(http://0-dictionary.oed.com.csulib.ctstateu.edu/cgi/crossref?query_
type=word&queryword=pom-pom&edition=2e&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&search_id=hErm-LHYJnE-1566&result_place=1&xrefed=OED&xrefword=miniature&ps
=a.) a. a]. 1891 Times 15 Oct. 5/5 The four great divisions of show
dahlias, cactus dahlias, decorative dahlias, and pompons. 1894 A.
FOSTER-MELLIAR Bk.
of Rose ii. 15 A sub-variety of the Provence is the Pompon Rose. 1908 E. J.
BANFIELD Confessions of Beachcomber I. ix. 130 Stalkless mushrooms [of
coral], gills uppermost,..blossom as pom-pom chrysanthemums. 1922 MRS. C. H.
STOUT
Amateur's Bk. Dahlia i. 7 At that time [sc. 1870] appeared a tiny ball-shaped
blossom, originating probably with Hartweg of Karlsruhe, which he called â??
pomponâ??. 1943 F. THOMPSON Candleford Green i. 20 Old-fashioned pompom
dahlias
in autumn. 1952 W. E. SHEWELL-COOPER Chrysanthemum Growing xv. 161 These
chrysanthemums are said to have been quite popular in the Victorian era...
They are
called â??Pompomsâ?? in some parts of the country, â??Pomponsâ?? in other
districts, and even â??Pomponesâ??. 1955 C. C. HURST in G. S. Thomas Old Shrub
Roses ix.
91 Both varieties were dwarf Pompons a few inches high. 1958 [see
_COLLARETTE_
(http://0-dictionary.oed.com.csulib.ctstateu.edu/cgi/crossref?query_type=word&queryword=pom-pom&edition=2e&first=1&max_to_show=10&sort_type=alpha&search_id
=hErm-LHYJnE-1566&result_place=1&xrefed=OED&xrefword=collarette) c]. 1961
[see Korean chrysanthemum]. 1974 J. BERRISFORD Window Box & Container
Gardening v. 48 The smaller-growing of the Pompoms [sc. chrysanthemums] are
also
useful.
Hence <NOBR>po a., decked with pompons.
1753 World No. 22 7 Exhibiting themselves in public places,..patched,
painted and pomponed. 1767 Woman of Fashion I. 109 The Head frizzled,
egretted,
pomponed, befeather'd, and beribbon'd all over.
---
pom-pom-2:
[Echoic.]
1. The name given during the South African war, 1899-1902, to the Maxim
automatic quick-firing gun: see maxim, n.2 Also fig., and attrib. as pom-pom
gun,
ammunition. In later use: any of various heavier guns, esp. if
multi-barrelled or one of a group.
1899 Daily News 6 Dec. 5/4 Automatic guns, nicknamed pom-poms. Ibid. 26 Dec.
2/3 An automatic gun, which Tommy Atkins, with his aptitude for expressive
phrases, promptly christened â??Pom! Pom!â?? 1900 Ibid. 5 Mar. 2/3 Near where
the
â??pom-pomâ?? gun was placed, is the overflowing supply store. Ibid. 25 June
3/3 We secured a Hotchkiss gun, 500 rounds of pom-pom ammunition. 1902 Westm.
Gaz. 27 Jan. 1/2 The fact..has never influenced him..towards a modification
of his verbal pom-poms. 1916 â??BOYD CABLEâ?? Action Front 131 The muzzles of
the
two pounder pom-poms moved slowly after their target. 1940 â??N. SHUTEâ??
Landfall vii. 175, I should think the multiple pom-poms would have got the
machine.
1944 R.A.F. Jrnl. Aug. 272 (caption) Battleship..; carries forty pom-poms
in multiple mountings. 1973 J. QUICK Dict. Weapons 353/1 Pom-pom. 1. A rack
of antiaircraft cannons, usually mounted in fours, as on the deck of a ship.
2. An automatic cannon.
2. A representation of a repetitive sound, e.g. the beat of a popular tune
or poem. Also pom-pom-pom, etc.
1909 BEERBOHM Lett. to R. Turner (1964) 181 They have been re-printing Yet
Again. Second impression ready within a few days. Pom-pom-pom. 1916 A. HUXLEY
Let. 31 Mar. (1969) 95 Time percolates with a distressing rapidity through the
coffee-machines of life... So you see, pom, pom, where we are?..as the old
song says. 1945 W. STEVENS Let. 26 Jan. (1967) 485 Many lines exist because I
enjoy their clickety-clack in contrast with the more decorous pom-pom-pom
that people expect. 1978 M. KENYON Deep Pocket ix. 105 Pom pom pom pom pom,
something sweet Willies.
Hence <NOBR>p v. intr., to fire a pom-pom; <NOBR>pom-p vbl. n.
1901 â??LINESMANâ?? Words by Eyewitness vii. 147 Continuous sniping,
pom-pomming, and occasional shelling. Ibid. ix. 191 Boers can fire shrapnel,
Britons
can pom~pom with the best.
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