# Origins of irritating phrase "Somethin' somethin' "

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origins-of-irritating-phrase-somethin-somethin/510493>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 17, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origins-of-irritating-phrase-somethin-somethin/510493 "2009-09-17T20:21:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origins-of-irritating-phrase-somethin-somethin/510493/1 "2009-09-17T20:21:42Z")

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Usually preceded by “a little” as in “If you could maybe slip me a little _somethin’ somethin’_” and an implicit or explicit wink.

I’m drawing more of a blank than I’d expect to w/regards to where I’ve heard it recently, although Olive utilized it in _Pushing Daisies_… anyway, it’s around and out there, but from where?

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origins-of-irritating-phrase-somethin-somethin/510493/2 "2009-09-17T21:08:55Z")

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More properly, it’s “sumpin’ sumpin’.” I suspect its origin is in Africo-American vernacular, possibly hip-hop, from the 1990s. Anyway, I recall first hearing in in the late 90s, and I’m usually late to the party.

If you’re looking for a first citation, though, the earlies I could find in a minute or so of Googling was [1994](http://www.answers.com/topic/a-lil-sumpin-sumpin-1). But, hey, it’s a free bump until a real researcher can answer.

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**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/origins-of-irritating-phrase-somethin-somethin/510493/3 "2009-09-17T21:11:57Z")

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I recall Spongebob Squarepants using it in either an episode or _The Spongebob Squarepants Movie_. Don’t remember the context, however.