I've noticed something wierd this past week or two while reading other blogs. A rarely used word has popped up in any number of posts on any number of blogs. Kerfluffle. Kerfluffle. Everywhere a kerfluffle. How does an oddity like this become a meme? Don't know what "meme" means? A meme is one of those things that flowed in with the tide of blog popularity and means: "a replicating idea". The word is funny to say out loud, go ahead use it in a conversation at work or with your family. It makes me laugh and so I don't plan to get into a kerfluffle over this trend.
Update: The word is spelled kerfuffle, not kerfluffle. Surprised me.
Is it kerfuffle or kerfluffle? I'm never sure. It seems a good way to describe a cross-blog debate where people aren't exactly angry with each other and are discussing something interesting but not hugely earth-shattering. Arguing the merits of an ex-President's post-Presidential career seems to fit that.
Posted by: Dean Esmay | February 18, 2005 at 01:00 PM
It's totally driven by James Taranto of OpinionJournal's "Best of the Web," who's made it a crusade of sorts to popularize the word.
Posted by: Crank | February 18, 2005 at 02:01 PM
I think Dean is correct, it is kerfuffle. We always heard it pronounced kerfluffle.
Posted by: Diane | February 18, 2005 at 07:10 PM
Well, my dictionary says it is originally Scots Gaelic and means commotion, agitation, and should more correctly be spelt carfuffle or curfuffle...the confusion arising out of the fact that Gaelic spellings do not transliterate into English, thus allowing different yet still correct spellings.
There, my piece of trivia for a Saturday afternoon.
Posted by: Tim Worstallt | February 19, 2005 at 11:29 AM