# origin of "skosh"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [December 14, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145 "2006-12-14T16:23:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![strosmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@strosmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/strosmer)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145/1 "2006-12-14T16:23:41Z")

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I got a real kick out of coming across this story in your column as I never did understand the origin of “skosh.” My father always used it, especially in regards to the TV volume, “Could you turn it up just a skosh?” He also served 25 years in the military, which probably explains where he picked up the term.

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**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145/2 "2006-12-14T16:33:23Z")

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[Linkarooski.](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_267.html)

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**Author:** ![Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Full\_Metal\_Lotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Metal_Lotus)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145/3 "2006-12-14T21:18:23Z")

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I heard that it was a Canadian slang term, based on the phrase “Scoot over a bit” (as in “make more room on the hockey bench, eh, Scoots over!”… It became :Scootch" as it is too hard to prononce the whole sentecne with no teeth, while drunk… (BTW\< I am a Canadian…)

Regards  
FML"

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**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145/4 "2006-12-14T21:27:30Z")

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[QUOTE=Full Metal Lotus]  
I heard that it was a Canadian slang term, based on the phrase “Scoot over a bit” (as in “make more room on the hockey bench, eh, Scoots over!”.. It became :Scootch" as it is too hard to prononce the whole sentecne with no teeth, while drunk… (BTW\< I am a Canadian…)

Regards  
FML"  
[/QUOTE]  
I think “scootch” as you are using it here is completely different from “skosh” as addressed in Cecil’s column. Both are perfectly valid slang terms, but with different meanings.

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**Author:** ![phi11235](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@phi11235](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phi11235)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145/5 "2006-12-16T20:57:48Z")

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[QUOTE=strosmer]  
I got a real kick out of coming across this story in your column as I never did understand the origin of “skosh.” My father always used it, especially in regards to the TV volume, “Could you turn it up just a skosh?” He also served 25 years in the military, which probably explains where he picked up the term.  
[/QUOTE]

I don’t buy the timeline on this one. I have a recording of Nat King Cole from 1943 (Jumpin’ At Capitol, Capitol Records) callled “If You Can’t Smile and Say Yes (Please Don’t Cry and Say No)” in which he implores the listener to “Squeeze me a skosh in these fine clothes” at around 0:36. Looks a bit older than the Korean war.

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**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145/6 "2006-12-16T21:12:38Z")

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Cecil could have been more polite. Now we’ll never know what a Clog Palace is.

\<sigh\>

Hmmm, maybe Google…

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [December 16, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145/7 "2006-12-16T23:58:30Z")

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[QUOTE=phi11235]  
I don’t buy the timeline on this one. I have a recording of Nat King Cole from 1943 (Jumpin’ At Capitol, Capitol Records) callled “If You Can’t Smile and Say Yes (Please Don’t Cry and Say No)” in which he implores the listener to “Squeeze me a skosh in these fine clothes” at around 0:36. Looks a bit older than the Korean war.  
[/QUOTE]  
YOu’re correct. It was picked up from the Japanese. But in or around WWII.

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**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\
**Post date:** [December 17, 2006, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origin-of-skosh/384145/8 "2006-12-17T08:13:34Z")

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Common military usage post WWII from Occupation of Japan, like “mamma-san”. From Japanese “sukoshi”, mean a small amount, a little.