# It's spelled "hamster", goldang it to heck **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 17, 2002, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404 "2002-07-17T13:45:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nenya\_Elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@Nenya\_Elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nenya_Elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/21 "2002-07-23T10:55:41Z")
I always think of it as “dumpster,” or, more precisely, a hamster in a dumpster, rooting through all the stuff…that, or Unseen University’s hamster-run computer (like the SDMB’s) and its +++Out of Cheese Error+++. ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/22 "2002-07-23T19:05:59Z")
My son calls his hamper his “hampster”. As in, “I put my clothes in the dirty clothes hampster”. Say it out loud, it is pretty funny. No, really. Well, it cracks ME up every time. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/23 "2002-07-24T00:44:18Z")
Feh. Anyone who thinks the little bastards don’t have a P in them has never forgotten to change the wood chips. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/24 "2002-07-24T01:50:08Z")
Well, at that point they **don’t** have a P in them. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/25 "2002-07-24T05:45:35Z")
So why the hell do the majority of people I know pronounce it with a “p”? ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/26 "2002-07-24T11:13:41Z")
I dunno, but if it were there, the “p” would be silent. The ham-ster! Makin’ copies…the haminator! Hama-lama-ding-dong! ---
**Author:** ![Hamish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a5b964/32.png) [@Hamish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamish)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/27 "2002-07-25T05:21:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KJ \* > \*\*Something I found out a while ago: > > [www.hamsterdance.com](http://www.hamsterdance.com) and [www.hampsterdance.com](http://www.hampsterdance.com) are both the same website. > > And they spell it with a [P](http://www.hampsterdance2.com/p.html) in both of them. \*\* I just found this site. How? It seems to have replaced one of favourite webcomics :mad: This is probably some evil hacker’s doing. Though I’m not going to rule out the cartoonist’s own sick sense of humour. Here’s hoping it’s back up by tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![hampster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@hampster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hampster)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2002, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/28 "2002-07-25T23:09:37Z")
hey! First, I’ve been spelling this way for years, and years **& YEARS**. Since I was approx. 7, and forever stuck with this nickname(wish I’d know it at the time), and wanting to differentate from the little fuzz-balls. Looooong before the hampster dancers. Also, it is a semi legitimate regional spelling. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/29 "2002-07-26T00:05:35Z")
Woah, and here I thought the last poster was going to be a sock puppet! Cool! Unless of course, you have the power to predict the future, and registered over a year and a half ago JUST for this purpose. Why no, I’m not wearing my tinfoil hat. Why do you ask? ---
**Author:** ![hampster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@hampster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hampster)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/30 "2002-07-26T01:20:13Z")
_sigh_ no, I only have the stunning ability to read the present, but given today is my first day reading the SDMB in about 4 months, it is not uncool. Actually, lately it’s been one of my biggest fantasies to be a sock pup- **cough** nevermind… :o differentiate ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/31 "2002-07-26T01:31:22Z")
Executive Notice From: The Board To: **hampster** Date: January 2001 You are hereby ordered forthwith and henceworth to change your name immediately. If you do not choose a new name within the next 18 months, one will be chosen for you. a playful name like RunsWithFerrets or CrotchSniffer. You have the right to appeal this automatic name change, but if you appeal this name change your right to be on the Straight Dope Mailing list will cease. **This is your penultimate warning!** ---
**Author:** ![hampster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@hampster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hampster)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/32 "2002-07-26T23:37:52Z")
hmm… after careful consideration, and extensive research into an appeal; I have only one thing to say. **phbbt** 😛 Sorry, but I have too many years invested in establishing name recognition (Especially across boards). so you can see we’ve reached an impass. You could always give up your irrational, obsessive-compulsive grammarianness. ‘Cause I’m not changin’ my name, not for you not for anybody. But then my Canadianess kicks in and I’m compelled (entirely against my nature) to seek a compromise. Get 500 Dopers to sign a petition for it, and I’ll consider dropping the silent “p”. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2002, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/33 "2002-07-26T23:44:41Z")
Oh, wait - it’s all clear now. You’re from **Canada**! ---
**Author:** ![g8rguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@g8rguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/g8rguy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/34 "2002-07-27T00:47:45Z")
That’s Canpada to you, buddy! ---
**Author:** ![Sinshine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sinshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sinshine)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/35 "2002-07-27T01:06:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dantheman \* > \*\*Oh, wait - it’s all clear now. You’re from **Canada**! \*\* Hey, I resemble that remark! (By the way, if that was the penultimate threat, what is the ultimate threat?) ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/36 "2002-07-27T01:14:05Z")
I cannot tell you. But it does involve bampoo shoots. ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/37 "2002-07-27T01:22:41Z")
You guys crack me the hell up. God bless this board. “Canpada”, indeed! > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ham **p** ster \* > \*\*Also, it is a semi legitimate regional spelling. \*\* Nuh-_uh_! Besides, isn’t “semi-legitimate” just another word for “illegitimate”? :p;) ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/38 "2002-07-27T02:41:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Beeblebrox \* > \*\* The dog is one with the Tao, and thus desires nothing - not even brown foxes. \*\* You’re a very funny person. ---
**Author:** ![hampster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/53a042/32.png) [@hampster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hampster)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/39 "2002-07-27T02:47:00Z")
Bamboo shoots, when properly prepared can be delicious; with fava beans and a nice chianti > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by LindyHopper \* > Besides, isn’t “semi-legitimate” just another word for “illegitimate”? :p;) \*\* It might be. ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2002, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404/40 "2002-07-27T11:25:27Z")
**j66** , thank you for getting the joke. As intelligent as this board is, I didn’t expect anybody to get the reference. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-spelled-hamster-goldang-it-to-heck/119404.md?page=1)