polka dots

[phreesh]

What seperates normal dots from polka dots? Who coined the term? When? Are they in any way dance related?

[ZipperJJ]

Here’s some info I found at UselessKnowledge.com:

Where did this name for round circles of dye on clothing originate? And what, if anything, does it have to do with the dance of the same name?

In the 1880s, the polka was sweeping America. It was the latest dance craze, like the Charleston of the 1920s or the Macarena of a few summers ago. In an effort to cash in on the fad, manufacturers began naming all sorts of thing polka. Polka gauze, polka hats, polka curtain bands and many other products with the polka name hit the market in the 1880s. Of these, only polka dots survive today.

There are two possible origins for the word polka. It could come from the Czech pulka, or half-step, Pul meaning half. Or, it could be a combination of the polonaise and mazurka.

“Word and Phrase Origins” are copyrighted by David Wilton

Looked for other references to back this up but found a lot of people had just cut-and-pasted this article on their own sites

While we’re at it…what is “polka gauze” (or, I guess, just plain “gauze” as clothing)?

[bibliophage]

Cecil Adams on What’s the origin of the term “polka dots”?