# Slang origin:  a-splode

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 21, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245 "2005-06-21T20:18:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245/1 "2005-06-21T20:18:47Z")

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Where did this bastard child of “explode” come from? I usually see it in the form of “my _noun_ a-splode.”

And since I’m always about a year behind any slang or catchphrase generation, and I like etymologies, I got curious.

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**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245/2 "2005-06-21T20:28:32Z")

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I think the popular usage is a result of an episode of Strongbad’s Email on the Homestar Runner site.

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**Author:** ![SisterCoyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@SisterCoyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SisterCoyote)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245/3 "2005-06-21T20:30:08Z")

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Ah. That would make sense. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245/4 "2005-06-21T20:43:59Z")

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Yep, it’s from a Strong Bad email. Specifically, [this one](http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail94.html).

YOUR HEAD A SPLODE!

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**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245/5 "2005-06-21T20:54:34Z")

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I thought it was an imitation of the Ricky Ricardo accent from _I Love Lucy_, and Google says I’m right. Or possibly right. Or rightish.

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**Author:** ![Scott\_Plaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Scott\_Plaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scott_Plaid)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245/6 "2005-06-21T21:10:25Z")

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> [@Sal Ammoniac](#):
>
> I thought it was an imitation of the Ricky Ricardo accent from _I Love Lucy_, and Google says I’m right. Or possibly right. Or rightish.

You are both right. After all, Strongbad started out with a hispanic accent.

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**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245/7 "2005-06-21T21:11:50Z")

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“Lucy! You got some 'splodin to do!!!”

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/slang-origin-a-splode/309245/8 "2005-06-21T21:29:11Z")

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(Nott deletes a lame reference to a Splode china teapot upside the head.)