A whimmydiddle, also known as a geehaw, is an Appalachian toy found in the hills of North Carolina made of laurel with notches cut into the stick. A propeller or whirligig is at the end and twirls when another stick is rubbed along the cut marks on the first stick. Eventually, a person can make the whirligig move one way or the other. The ability to do this is why the whimmydiddle is also called a hooey stick, a truth stick, and a voodoo stick since the direction the whirligig spins can be interpreted as a yes or a no to an answer. The Collins English Dictionary gives an insight into the hooey stick name stating the definition is nonsense and rubbish. If a whimmydiddle can detect nonsense and rubbish, then this is a fitting name for the whimmydiddle! How does the hooey get detected? Is the truth stick really judging hooey? Steven Shepard explains the trick!
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Old Toys with Weird Names
There are some toys with unusual names where just the name of the playthings inspires interest. Finding out there is movement involved only makes the attraction keener. Who could resist the allure of a whimmydiddle or a flipperdinger? Especially if they could be made using natural materials around the farm, maybe even gourds?
A whimmydiddle, also known as a geehaw, is an Appalachian toy found in the hills of North Carolina made of laurel with notches cut into the stick. A propeller or whirligig is at the end and twirls when another stick is rubbed along the cut marks on the first stick. Eventually, a person can make the whirligig move one way or the other. The ability to do this is why the whimmydiddle is also called a hooey stick, a truth stick, and a voodoo stick since the direction the whirligig spins can be interpreted as a yes or a no to an answer. The Collins English Dictionary gives an insight into the hooey stick name stating the definition is nonsense and rubbish. If a whimmydiddle can detect nonsense and rubbish, then this is a fitting name for the whimmydiddle! How does the hooey get detected? Is the truth stick really judging hooey? Steven Shepard explains the trick!
A whimmydiddle, also known as a geehaw, is an Appalachian toy found in the hills of North Carolina made of laurel with notches cut into the stick. A propeller or whirligig is at the end and twirls when another stick is rubbed along the cut marks on the first stick. Eventually, a person can make the whirligig move one way or the other. The ability to do this is why the whimmydiddle is also called a hooey stick, a truth stick, and a voodoo stick since the direction the whirligig spins can be interpreted as a yes or a no to an answer. The Collins English Dictionary gives an insight into the hooey stick name stating the definition is nonsense and rubbish. If a whimmydiddle can detect nonsense and rubbish, then this is a fitting name for the whimmydiddle! How does the hooey get detected? Is the truth stick really judging hooey? Steven Shepard explains the trick!
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