Drunk Slang “Blotto” May Come from “Blotto Frères” Delivery Vehicles

In a recent issue of the Academic Journal American Speech, John Considine has done some legwork and proposes a new origin for the word blotto, as in he started drinking at five and was blotto by dinnertime.

Really?

Blotto, B-L-T-T-O. You probably know this term, right, Martha?

Sure. You know what I mean.

It’s on my driver’s license. If she’s blotto, take her home. This is her address.

But we have many words for drunk in English, and this is just one of them.

I know them from dictionaries, yes.

This one dates from about the World War I or so, maybe a little earlier.

There are a lot of different theories about Blotto, but he thinks he’s got new information.

Constantine says that he thinks it comes from a company named Blotto Frères.

That’s Blotto Brothers.

It’s a French company that made a three-wheeled delivery vehicle that was known to be dangerous and erratic.

And so in this very interesting article just loaded with historical detail, he supposes that people used the name of this company to refer to acting erratically when you’re drunk.

So by transference.

And the thing is, I won’t go into the detail, but it’s not the first time that a vehicle’s manufacturer has lent its name to some other kind of slang word.

Don’t tell me.

Let me guess.

Oh, I’m going to have to read it.

It’s in the spring 2009 issue of the Journal of American Speech.

And we will, of course, post a link to it online.

All right.

And in the meantime, you can always call us 1-877-929-9673 to discuss language or send us an email, words@waywordradio.org.