[Ads-l] fluffle

[Ben Zimmer]

Further "fluffle" follow-up... I wrote about the word for my Wall Street
Journal column this week. Thanks to the listener who called in to "A Way
With Words," I was able to connect with two of the friends who coined
"fluffle" as undergrads at Univ. of Alberta and put it on Wikipedia as a
joke. Now the story can be told!

https://on.wsj.com/4au1bzk (should be non-paywalled)

--bgz

On Thu, Feb 29, 2024 at 1:29 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:

> Here's the segment on "fluffle" that Grant and Martha did for "A Way With
> Words":
>
> https://www.waywordradio.org/fluffle-rabbit-coinage/
>
> Grant mentioned that "fluffle" has been added to Wiktionary. And it
> appears that one of the listeners to the radio show recently edited the
> entry to cite this very ADS-L thread as evidence that the word was invented
> on Wikipedia.
>
> https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fluffle
>
> --bgz
>
> On Tue, Jan 16, 2024 at 6:33 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Given how "fluffle" has spread in the manner of urban folklore, it's
>> appropriate you're talking to a "friend of a friend" (FOAF).
>>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friend_of_a_friend
>>
>> On Tue, Jan 16, 2024 at 6:18 PM Grant Barrett <gbarrett at worldnewyork.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Tomorrow on the radio show we're going to talk with a friend of a friend
>>> of
>>> one of the people who supposedly added "fluffle" to Wikipedia. They're
>>> wondering if their friend was indeed part of the group that started the
>>> word or if there is prior art. Should be interesting to hear more.
>>>
>>> GB
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jun 29, 2023 at 12:24 PM Jonathan Lighter <
>>> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> > Germane? Or meaningless coincidence?
>>> >
>>> > 1990 Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Dec. 12) A-2: Looking for the CHRISTMAS
>>> BUNNY?
>>> > Yes! A Bunny called Fluffles IS the Christmas Bunny. He's dressed in
>>> > holiday finery [etc.]
>>> >
>>> > [Ad for a plush rabbit doll.]
>>> >
>>> > JL
>>> >
>>> > On Wed, Jun 28, 2023 at 8:58 PM Jonathan Lighter <
>>> wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
>>> > wrote:
>>> >
>>> > > 295,000 raw Googlits.
>>> > >
>>> > > JL
>>> > >
>>> > > On Wed, Jun 28, 2023 at 6:25 PM Chris Waigl <chris at lascribe.net>
>>> wrote:
>>> > >
>>> > >> What a rabbit hole :) ! Moonies and "northern Canada", huh?
>>> > >>
>>> > >> Well, there are no wild rabbits in northern Canada, so if there's
>>> > anything
>>> > >> to this I'd be tempted to look into how local groups talk about
>>> snowshoe
>>> > >> hares and Arctic hares.
>>> > >>
>>> > >> Now, of course, this factoid has entered the mainstream and morphed
>>> > into a
>>> > >> self-fulfilling prophecy.
>>> > >>
>>> > >> Chris
>>> > >>
>>> > >> On Wed, Jun 28, 2023 at 12:32 PM Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> > >>
>>> > >> > I was recently forwarded this language factoid:
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > "A group of wild rabbits is called a 'fluffle' and I've never
>>> loved
>>> > the
>>> > >> > English language more."
>>> > >> > https://twitter.com/mastersrex/status/1315295446584168448
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > I'm always curious how these things spread, and this one sent me
>>> down
>>> > a
>>> > >> > rabbit-hole, appropriately enough. Here's a timeline:
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > July 30, 2007: Wikipedia user Freeridr adds an unsourced claim to
>>> the
>>> > >> entry
>>> > >> > for "rabbit": "A group of rabbits or hares are often called a
>>> > 'fluffle'
>>> > >> in
>>> > >> > parts of Northern Canada."
>>> > >> >
>>> > >>
>>> >
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rabbit&diff=prev&oldid=148126554
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > Apr. 29, 2008: The text of the Wikipedia "rabbit" entry
>>> (including the
>>> > >> > "fluffle" line) is copied over to New World Encylopedia, a site
>>> run by
>>> > >> Sun
>>> > >> > Myung Moon's Unification Church.
>>> > >> >
>>> > >>
>>> >
>>> https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Rabbit&oldid=699288
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > Feb. 17, 2010: The "fluffle" line is deleted from Wikipedia by an
>>> > editor
>>> > >> > ("Removed supposed naming of a group of rabbits as a 'fluffle',
>>> as I
>>> > >> can't
>>> > >> > verify it").
>>> > >> >
>>> > >>
>>> >
>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rabbit&diff=prev&oldid=344646745
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > Sept. 29, 2013: Reddit user AaronM97 asks, "What's a fact you know
>>> > that
>>> > >> > will cheer me up?" Among the thousands of replies, user AmyEarhart
>>> > >> submits
>>> > >> > "a group of bunnies is called a fluffle."
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> >
>>> > >>
>>> >
>>> https://web.archive.org/web/20130930183135/https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/whats_a_fact_you_know_that_will_cheer_me_up/
>>> > >> >
>>> https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1nexqv/comment/cci0rsz/
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > Oct. 5, 2013: Thought Catalog publishes "30 Random, Interesting
>>> Facts
>>> > >> That
>>> > >> > Will Cheer You Up" based on the Reddit thread, including
>>> AmyEarhart's
>>> > >> > "fluffle" submission.
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> >
>>> > >>
>>> >
>>> https://web.archive.org/web/20131020055608/https://thoughtcatalog.com/timmy-parker/2013/10/30-facts-that-will-cheer-you-up/
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > Mar. 19, 2014: Buzzfeed publishes "64 Facts That Will Make You
>>> Feel
>>> > >> > Incredibly Happy," which includes "a group of bunnies is called a
>>> > >> fluffle."
>>> > >> > The listicle links to the New World Encylopedia entry for
>>> "rabbit,"
>>> > >> which
>>> > >> > retained the "fluffle" line despite its removal from Wikipedia.
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> >
>>> > >>
>>> >
>>> https://web.archive.org/web/20140319201849/https://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/facts-that-will-make-you-feel-incredibly-happy
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > And from there it multiplied like rabbits all over the place!
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > --bgz
>>>
>>

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