Query about slang "scootch"-- Why -ch?

[Rachel Shuttlesworth]

I agree with the palatalized 'scoot' idea. An example I can think of
that may parallel this one is my pronunciation of /s/ as [sh] (I mean
the voiceless palatal fricative) in words like "interesting" and
"sternum," which unless I pay special attention, come out as
"intereshting' and "shternum." My parents and grandparents (all native
Alabamians) pronounce the same way. And we all say "scootch" to mean
"move (yourself or something else) a little bit." Something like
"Scootch the picture to the left a little bit. It's not centered"
completely works for me.

Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> ----------------------- Sender:       American Dialect Society
> <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> Poster:       Jonathan Lighter
> <wuxxmupp2000 at YAHOO.COM> Subject:      Re: Query about slang
> "scootch"-- Why -ch?
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> I think it's a lot older than Japanese-derived "skosh."  Always
> assumed it's just "scoot" with a palatalized final consonant, maybe
> originally before "over."
>
> FWIW
>
> JL
>

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Dr. Rachel E. Shuttlesworth
CLIR Post-Doctoral Fellow
University of Alabama Libraries
Box 870266, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0266
Office: 205.348.4655/ Fax:205.348.8833
rachel.e.shuttlesworth at ua.edu