# "Edumacate" and "Yeppers" and "Preggy" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 24, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015 "2004-06-24T14:29:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/1 "2004-06-24T14:29:34Z")
Every once in a while, a fellow doper uses a cutesy word like “edumacate” or “yeppers” or “preggy” instead of “educate” or “yes” or “pregnant.” 1. Is there a name for this sort of substitution? 2. Does everyone else find these as annoying as I do? 3. If you’re one of the people who do this, WHY??? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/2 "2004-06-24T14:45:33Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > 1. Does everyone else find these as annoying as I do? You betchums. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/3 "2004-06-24T14:50:03Z")
**1. Is there a name for this sort of substitution?** obnoxious **2. Does everyone else find these as annoying as I do?** Yep. (After **Ethilrist’s** comment I tried to think of something cute and witty, but I just couldn’t. It’s a slow-brain morning.) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/4 "2004-06-24T14:57:32Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > 1. Is there a name for this sort of substitution? Surely they’re just colloquialisms? > [@](#): > > 1. Does everyone else find these as annoying as I do? No > [@](#): > > 1. If you’re one of the people who do this, WHY??? Because it’s not a big deal. And it’s ‘preggers’, anyway 😛 ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/5 "2004-06-24T15:10:57Z")
I think the OP’s looking for a more specific name, like a spoonerism or something. I don’t know of any particular name for it, but it is rather obnoxious and annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Severian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@Severian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Severian)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/6 "2004-06-24T15:25:10Z")
Sheesh. Is it really that offensive and obnoxious to use ‘yeppers’ instead of ‘yes’? Can I say ‘yup’, ‘uh-huh’, or ‘yessiree’ without incurring your wrath? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/7 "2004-06-24T15:53:40Z")
> [@Severian](#): > > Sheesh. Is it really that offensive and obnoxious to use ‘yeppers’ instead of ‘yes’? Can I say ‘yup’, ‘uh-huh’, or ‘yessiree’ without incurring your wrath? No sirree bob-cat tail! ---
**Author:** ![Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/db5fbb/32.png) [@Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/8 "2004-06-24T17:17:04Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Every once in a while, a fellow doper uses a cutesy word like “edumacate” or “yeppers” or “preggy” instead of “educate” or “yes” or “pregnant.” I’d add “hubby” to your list. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/9 "2004-06-24T17:48:43Z")
“Distorifcations”? “Buffysms”? I class it with l33t spk - it’s gross if it’s someone’s primary mode of communication, but it’s funny if you can turn it on when you’re in the mood and want to be ironic. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/10 "2004-06-24T19:53:47Z")
Can I say yepski? I’ve been known to do that. Only it’s really spelled jepski. How’bout coinkidink? Not that I say that one myself, mind you. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/11 "2004-06-24T20:00:44Z")
I’m going to use this more just to annoy you folks, mmmkay? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/12 "2004-06-24T21:22:13Z")
It’s okay in casual conversation in limited quantites. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/13 "2004-06-24T21:37:26Z")
In answer to 1), how about “Talking like Ned Flanders”? ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/14 "2004-06-24T21:46:59Z")
Well, funny you should mention Ned in between the time that I pressed ‘reply’ and the hamsters actually presented me with a box to type in… Because I’ve found that I’ve been using the phrase “Ok’ly-Dok’ly” with increasing frequency lately. ---
**Author:** ![Gotterfunken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/15 "2004-06-24T22:27:00Z")
I think “preggers” has been a predominately British slang term–[Encarta](http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/preggers.html) describes it as an informal “UK” term, and until recently, I only seen it used in British papers and novels. Curiously, though, it seems to have originated in the States. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, its first documented usage was in American books of the mid-20th century (specifically, the 1942 memoir _One Pair of Feet_ by Monica Dickens). It seems to be making a comeback in the US–two recent news stories on E! regarding the pregancies of [Liv Tyler](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/eo/20040622/en_celeb_eo/14358) and [Julia Roberts](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/eo/20040601/en_celeb_eo/14218) reported that the actresses are “preggers.” I do find the word kind of annoying. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/16 "2004-06-24T23:30:01Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > 1. Is there a name for this sort of substitution? I call it “synonymalizing.” ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/17 "2004-06-24T23:39:13Z")
“Preggers” is used in Australia. This is probably the home of these shortened words, we use so many of them. It’s not meant to be cutesy, and we don’t find them annoying. More often than not, if you use the formal word in some situations, people may think you are angry or arrogant. Anyway, if you don’t like “preggers”, there’s always “up the stick”, “bun in the oven”, “up the duff”… See, it’s not so bad. The US has it’s share of things which sound cutesy to me (but probably don’t cause offence on home soil). Stuff like answering the phone with “Yell-OH” drives me totally batshit. And all that “Significant Other” stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/18 "2004-06-24T23:40:16Z")
Edumacate is just someone being cutesy… yeppers and preggers is just obnoxious and grounds for genetice sterilization in my view – especially preggers. I hate that word. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/19 "2004-06-24T23:41:07Z")
Forgot my total pet hate (“edumacate” reminded me), and that is: _“I resemble that remark!”_ Yes, I get it. I know it’s _meant_ to be incorrect. It’s just bloody irritating and clapped out. ---
**Author:** ![OneYogini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b9e5f3/32.png) [@OneYogini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneYogini)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015/20 "2004-06-25T01:16:03Z")
> [@TheLoadedDog](#): > > Forgot my total pet hate (“edumacate” reminded me), and that is: > > _“I resemble that remark!”_ > > Yes, I get it. I know it’s _meant_ to be incorrect. It’s just bloody irritating and clapped out. Aww dammit. I know I used that once here. ONCE. lol! I don’t understand though (and I AM being serious), why preggers sounds obnoxious??? Can you explain why you think that? I thought it was someone’s attempt at being cutesy but never would have associated the term with being obnoxious. Though…up the duff sounds obnoxious (and a little TMI). 😃 Interesting though…lol! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edumacate-and-yeppers-and-preggy/252015.md?page=2)