# Let's all try to spell "hamsters" without a "P", shall we? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 8, 2003, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808 "2003-05-08T01:38:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808/61 "2003-05-11T05:47:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rico \* > **OK, Flam** p\*\*sterette\_X, whatever you say… > > And FTR, I do too! \*\* You know, that just skews [my explanation of my own screen name](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=105572&highlight=brief+explanation+handle) by just a tad. What important things in my life start with a P, and would I want to immortalize them (after a fashion) in my nickname? Hmm… guess I’ll have to think about it and get back to you. F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808/62 "2003-05-11T05:51:05Z")
I just want to state, for the record, that not only do I spell it “hampster,” I pronounce it that way, too. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808/63 "2003-05-11T05:54:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ageless6 \* > \*\*Like you and Rico,Flamsterette,I also cringe,but not at the spelling of the rodent. I cringe at your use of the word “SPELT”,when I think you meant “SPELLED”. > > My M-W Online says SPELT is a split piece of wood,or a form of wheat. Therefore SPELT,or even “SPELPT”, is incorrect. Of course I haven’t looked up SPELPT;I could be wrong. \*\* I got this from [Dictionary.com](http://www.dictionary.com): > [@](#): > > spell1 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (spl) > v. spelled, or spelt (splt) spell·ing, spells Of course, if you want the page where I found it… [here](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=spelt) ya go! And yes, it does give me the “wheat” definition. (not so sure about the “split piece of wood” one, as I didn’t look for that one) Oh well. F\_X ---
**Author:** ![ageless6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@ageless6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ageless6)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808/64 "2003-05-11T12:22:33Z")
I damn thee,Flamsterette\_X! You are maddeningly correct. I went back to my M W Online and there it was. I just missed it the first time around. I am contrite. I am humbled. But mostly I’m pissed…mostly. Screw you Flamp, I’m going home! ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808/65 "2003-05-11T14:09:49Z")
A related question: is the State in New England “New Hamster” or “New Hampster?” ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808/66 "2003-05-11T16:33:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Humble Servant \* > \*\*How do you give a hamster big hair? Maybe a blow-dry and then a tease with a rattail comb? \*\* It all depends on where you shove the hair dryer… ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808/67 "2003-05-12T01:30:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ageless6 \* > \*\*I damn thee,Flamsterette\_X! You are maddeningly correct. I went back to my M W Online and there it was. I just missed it the first time around. > > I am contrite. I am humbled. But mostly I’m pissed…mostly. Screw you Flamp, I’m going home! \*\* Hey, I’m not doing this to prove some point about how I have SO much more knowledge than you… of course not. If I was wrong, I would have acknowledged it. That said, I’m not using thsi as an opportunity to gloat, either. But… don’t you damn me for being maddeningly correct. It’s just one of my “evil woman tricks,” as my friend Corey put it to me last week. 😉 (we were talking about other women in his life who played evil tricks on him [no, **not** me]… the “crying when in trouble” trick, and the “blaming your victim” trick) As for your being contrite / humbled / pissed, that’s not my fault. I didn’t intend it that way at all… nor did I intend to show off. Like I used to say to my friend Eric M., “I’m just trying to expand your knowledge of words.” He took it in a nice, friendly way. 🙂 And yes… go home and whine about it if you like. 😛 But I won’t be there to… do things with. 😉 Don’t you tell me to screw off just coz you don’t like being shown up by me, eh? Thanks. 🙂 F\_X ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808/68 "2003-05-12T03:01:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TWDuke \* > \*\*[impossibly obscure reference]Hamster and Gerbil are alive and well and they’re living in Berlin. She is a cocktail waitress. He had a part in a Fassbinder film.[/impossibly obscure reference] \*\* You gotta watch out for the hamster’s paw. Or maybe it’s SharPkey’s night, tonight… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-all-try-to-spell-hamsters-without-a-p-shall-we/173808.md?page=3)