# Kerfuffle or kerfluffle?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 9, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654 "2005-06-09T21:50:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/1 "2005-06-09T21:50:01Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=320402), **Atheist Princess** used the word [kerfuffle](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6244355&postcount=12). Since that’s such a great word, I used it. But then **Sattua** said, no, it’s [kerfluffle](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6244438&postcount=14).
So which is it? Why? When do I use it? What does it mean?
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### Author:  [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/2 "2005-06-09T21:57:54Z")
Kerf **l** uffle.
Only a Godless commie would get it wrong.
😛
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### Author:  [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/3 "2005-06-09T22:00:03Z")
I always say “kerfuffle”. I’m not quite a godless commie, but pretty close to it.
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### Author:  [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/4 "2005-06-09T22:01:31Z")
Definitely kerfuffle (i.e. without the extra L). Until I saw the other thread I’d never heard of the kerf **l** uffle version.
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### Author:  [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/5 "2005-06-09T22:04:39Z")
Kerfuffle or Kafuffle
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### Author:  [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/6 "2005-06-09T22:13:24Z")
Merriam Webster says it’s [kerfuffle](http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=kerfuffle).
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### Author:  [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/7 "2005-06-09T22:22:48Z")
According to [this page,](http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-ker1.htm) the spelling is _kerfuffle_, but it only became standardized in the 1960’s. Previous variants included “_curfuffle, carfuffle, cafuffle, cafoufle, even gefuffle_”. As I recall, **Cecil** wrote a classic column about the proper way to write the name of the Libyan strongman – the piece could have been (but was not) titled _The Khadafy/Gadhafi/Qaddafi Kerfuffle_.
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### Author:  [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/8 "2005-06-09T22:40:39Z")
(sulks in the corner)
it’s kerfluffle.
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### Author:  [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/9 "2005-06-09T22:42:02Z")
the OED says it’s kerfuffle, but it’s wrong.
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### Author:  [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/10 "2005-06-09T22:47:04Z")
Kerfuffle, one of my favourite words. I have never heard it pronounced as kerf **l** uffle.
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### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/11 "2005-06-10T01:43:48Z")
> [@Sattua](#):
>
> (sulks in the corner)
>
> it’s kerfluffle.
Don’t feel bad. Most of the people in that thread used kerfluffle, not kerfuffle. Hence, my confusion.
Hey – maybe it’s the verb?
“I saw all the cops outside; what’s the kerfuffle?”
“I don’t know, but I saw a guy kerfluffling at the clerk because he put too much ice in his drink.”
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### Author:  [@Dancer\_Flight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dancer_Flight)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/12 "2005-06-10T01:53:56Z")
> [@Campion](#):
>
> So which is it? Why? When do I use it? What does it mean?
1. Kurfuffle, one L, not two.
2. Because that is the way I was taught.
3. When you want to use a cutesified/entertaining way of saying to-do, hoopla, minor conflict…
4. See 3) above.
-DF 🙂
Oh, and I was paying attention to the thread and it looked like it was mostly the one L version being used, but I’m not going to go back and count.
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### Author:  [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/13 "2005-06-10T01:55:26Z")
I once started a bit of a kerfuffle on another board when I asked a poster named Kerfuffle what happened to his other L.
Got room in that corner, **Sattua**?
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### Author:  [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/14 "2005-06-10T01:56:21Z")
My kerfuffle died last year. He ate some rat poisoning.
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### Author:  [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/15 "2005-06-10T02:00:29Z")
Definitely kerfuffle (one l).
I’ve seen this word everywhere lately. What started it?
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### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/16 "2005-06-10T02:03:46Z")
> [@Dancer\_Flight](#):
>
> Oh, and I was paying attention to the thread and it looked like it was mostly the one L version being used, but I’m not going to go back and count.
Well, sure, if you want to get all _technical_ with, like, _facts_ and stuff. 😉
It’s just that, you know, **Sattua** has this **bigger than life** personality, so I was bedazzled and, um, so yeah. Plus, you know, with these, like _closed toe_ shoes and all, it’s hard to count. And, um . . . did I mention that **Sattua** has this. . . . oh, yeah. I did.
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### Author:  [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/17 "2005-06-10T02:10:12Z")
And Sattua is blowing raspberries at Campion.
i gotcher kerfuffle right here.
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### Author:  [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/18 "2005-06-10T02:16:50Z")
Right back atcha, **Sattua**. 😃
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### Author:  [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/19 "2005-06-10T03:27:24Z")
Another vote for kerfluffle. And I wonder how I know this word. I don’t recall ever having heard or read it.
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### Author:  [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kerfuffle-or-kerfluffle/307654/20 "2005-06-10T03:35:27Z")
I’ve never heard of kerfluffle before! On the other hand, I’ve often found kerfuffle to be a useful little word… so descriptive and yet fun to say 🙂
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