# rubes is an idiot! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 8, 1999, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862 "1999-12-08T20:29:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/1 "1999-12-08T20:29:00Z")
rubes sez, “Kiddie corner refers to a diagonal movement, similar to a child who does not follow the sidewalk but rather goes diagonally across the corner…” **I** say that “kiddie corner”, 1. Is not a word, but a midwestern colloquialism. 2. It is taken from the real word, cattycorner. We had a big argument about this at lunch today. My friend Heather (Minnesotan) agrees that it is a colloquialism… I **showed** rubes the dictionary entry, but he still doesn’t believe me. Come on guys, help me eradicate the ignorance of rubes! * * * It is much easier to see ourselves as better than or even worse than, rather than accepting that we simply are. - John “The Penguin” Bingham ---
**Author:** ![rubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@rubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rubes)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/2 "1999-12-08T20:38:00Z")
For the record, I am posting this from canthearya’s office, after we had a nice little lunch with her adorable friend heather. Now, the discussion about Kiddie Corner. 1. They (Cant and Heather) both thought it was kitty corner 2. The dictionary Cant used to “prove” me wrong, was not one that I had any say in. I will do further research. 3. What the hell would catty corner refer to? what’s a friggin catty? (Unless that is like Canthearya when she’s bitchy) love, ruby ---
**Author:** ![CanadianSue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@CanadianSue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanadianSue)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/3 "1999-12-08T20:42:00Z")
Sorry hon but I have to agree with Rubes on this one. If I were to say I’ll meet you at the store that is kiddy corner to my house, that would be diagonally across * * * I opened the door, and look who I found. Damn I’m good ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Thin_Skin)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/4 "1999-12-08T20:46:00Z")
I’ll have to disagree with the lot of you. It’s cater-corner. Cater (long a) is an obsolete term meaning four. I can see how the word could transform to catty-corner (cat-\>catty), from there to kitty (cat-\>kitty, mix in original cater). They changing to kiddie by some mishearing. ---
**Author:** ![Odieman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a87d85/32.png) [@Odieman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odieman)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/5 "1999-12-08T20:46:00Z")
Well here in western Canada, it would be Kitty Corner to us, sorry Rubes. Keith * * * You want brilliance BEFORE I’ve had my coffee!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Mr\_Thin\_Skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Thin_Skin)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/6 "1999-12-08T20:47:00Z")
Make that a short /a/ like in cat. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/7 "1999-12-08T20:49:00Z")
You are all wrong! The word is “catercorner”. “Cattycorner” is bastardization that has gained acceptance over many years, and “Kittycorner” isn’t even a word as far as I’m concerned. “Cater” meaning diagonal comes from the Latin “quattuor” meaning (I think) a fourth (of a square) or a corner. So it means corner-corner. Go figure! * * * Elmer J. Fudd, Millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht. ---
**Author:** ![Pixoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pixoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixoid)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/8 "1999-12-08T20:49:00Z")
I always heard **kitty** corner. Not cattycorner, and not kiddy corner. But I don’t know which one is “right”… ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/9 "1999-12-08T20:50:00Z")
## Note to self: Type faster! Elmer J. Fudd, Millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht. ---
**Author:** ![saraam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@saraam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saraam)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/10 "1999-12-08T20:52:00Z")
I have to put my vote in for “kitty-corner”, even though I know the word is really cater-corner. It’s just one of those idioms that gets jumbled until the wrong words sound like they are right. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/11 "1999-12-08T20:56:00Z")
This Minnesotan says “kitty corner” and damn the etymology. ---
**Author:** ![keystream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a3d4f5/32.png) [@keystream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keystream)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/12 "1999-12-08T21:19:00Z")
I am fully behind Canthearya on this one. “Kiddie corner” is a weird Midwest thing, “cattycorner” is the actual word. ---
**Author:** ![rubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@rubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rubes)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/13 "1999-12-08T21:23:00Z")
Bah! Screw the lot of you, except C-Sue. I’ll find my vindication somewhere, even if it means writing my own dictionary… ---
**Author:** ![Gazelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Gazelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazelle)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/14 "1999-12-08T21:31:00Z")
Oh, so now you don’t wanna screw me, huh **rubes**? I wish you’d make up your cotton-pickin’ mind. 🙂 In my handy-dandy dictionary, here’s what it says: **cater-cornered** _also_ **cater-corner** or **catty-cornered** There is no entry for kiddie-, kiddy-, kitty- or kaddy- corner(ed). Nanny nanny boo boo. ---
**Author:** ![CanadianSue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@CanadianSue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanadianSue)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/15 "1999-12-08T21:42:00Z")
Farther west in Canada than Odie, and you are right… it is Kitty * * * I opened the door, and look who I found. Damn I’m good ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/16 "1999-12-08T21:51:00Z")
When I was in Arkansas on vacation this summer, the nice store owner in Eureka Springs explained to us how the restaurant we were looking for was “cattywampus” across the street. That has become my word of choice to describe the “catercorner” idea. 🙂 * * * Quand les talons claquent, l’esprit se vide. Maréchal Lyautey ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_North](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Peter\_North](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_North)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/17 "1999-12-08T21:54:00Z")
In my Webster’s Collegiate, there are entries for catercorner(of course), kitty-corner, and catty-corner. ---
**Author:** ![JBENZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b77776/32.png) [@JBENZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JBENZ)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/18 "1999-12-08T22:14:00Z")
The answer from the Master (no, not that master, the other one, Jesse Sheidlower at Random House): [http://www.randomhouse.com/jesse/?date=19960902](http://www.randomhouse.com/jesse/?date=19960902) * * * JB Lex Non Favet Delicatorum Votis ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/19 "1999-12-08T22:15:00Z")
I say kittycorner, but I never write it (until now), so I don’t know how I spell it. I’m born and raised in Michigan. I’m not entirely certain what the question is. Are you asking how we pronounce it, how we spell it, or what it means, or if it’s a real word, or if it’s a midwestern thing? ## Since I’m not certain what the questio is, I’ll let you decide whether I agree with Rubes or Canthearya or Heather or no one. And as an aside: ever since that one thread, I mentally pronounce it can-the-area :D. _It is too clear, and so it is hard to see._ ---
**Author:** ![torq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@torq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torq)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 1999, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862/20 "1999-12-08T22:33:00Z")
I’ve heard “kitty-corner”, “catty-corner”, and “cattywhompus”. “Cattywhompus” is my favorite of these, and is the one I generally use. I’ve heard “kiddy-corner” also, but much less frequently and for some reason it’s always sounded “wrong” to me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rubes-is-an-idiot/11862.md?page=2)