A few episodes ago, Martha and Grant asked listeners for variations on the road-trip game of padiddle, and boy, did they oblige. For starters, how about all these names for the tail-light version of padiddle? Padunkle, padonkle, perdunkle, pasquaddle, paduchi, Popeye, and dinklepink. Personally, we can’t wait for the next time we’re out on the road at night. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Variations of Padiddle Game”
Well, a few weeks ago here, we talked about the word padiddle.
It’s a game you play on road trips when you see a car with only one working headlight.
Right. If you’re the first to spot a car with only one working headlight, you shout padiddle.
Then you get to do something to your fellow passenger, usually something like steal a kiss if it’s your sweetie.
Or if your fellow passenger is a buddy or a pal, then you get to punch them.
Right. And during that conversation, I confessed that I had never played padiddle in my entire life.
And I also asked half-jokingly if there’s a taillight version of padiddle.
And boy, did you folks let us know.
We received, didn’t they, Grant?
We did.
We did.
We received a whole truckload of emails about the name of this game where you play padiddle with a taillight out.
People told us it was variously known as paduncle, paduncle, perduncle, pasquaddle, paduchi, or popeye.
Popeye.
Popeye.
And then there was the email from Larry who informed us when he was growing up in Philadelphia, he learned this game as dinkle pink.
No, he didn’t.
Was he making that up?
Maybe he was having us on.
I don’t know.
I don’t know.
It’s a funny one anyway.
I wouldn’t be surprised.
Variety in language is rewarding and interesting.
I’m going to start playing dinkle pink.
You know, the taillight version has a problem.
You could just follow one car that had one busted taillight,
And you could keep hitting the guy next to you over and over again.
And saying, dinkle pink, dinkle pink, dinkle pink.
Right, exactly.
Dinkle pink, dinkle pink.
Give us a call.
If you’ve got more words for this, Martha and I are dying to hear them.
The number is 1-877-929-9673.
And you can send us email to words@waywordradio.org.
Join the rest of our listeners at our discussion forum at waywordradio.org/discussion.
