Buzz
Curious reader Janet posed a question: 'Kitty Corner, Katty Corner, or Kattywumpus? Everyone around here uses a different version. Where do these variations come from, and which one is the proper term?'
To address the final part of your query, none of these terms are technically correct. (Although my dearly departed mother-in-law would have a different opinion when it comes to the 'kattywumpus' term.) In proper terms, the correct word for something positioned diagonally across from another object is 'catercorner.' The word 'cater' began to describe diagonal directions in the late 16th century, and it was an English adaptation of the French word 'quatre,' meaning 'four,' as in four corners.
When this term crossed the Atlantic, Americans initially followed the British pronunciation and used 'catercorner.' However, by 1883, it had been altered to 'catty-corner' in the South. As 'catty-corner' became popular, people in the North and Midwest, focusing on the feline reference, eventually began saying 'kitty-corner.'
The origins of 'kattywumpus' (including its correct spelling) are still debated, but it is known that it initially meant 'askew,' not necessarily diagonal.
The choice of which term to use now seems to be regionally influenced—what term do people use in your area?
