The terms ‘yeah de poopie’ and ‘great gray goat knitter’ from the television program Uncle Willem’s Movie get a place in the Dikke Van Dale. Editor-in-chief Ton den Boon of the dictionary told that on Friday in the NCRV radio program follow spot†
Presenter Edwin Rutten frequently used both terms in the popular children’s program, which was shown from 1974 to 1988. “After forty years, both words can still be found regularly in the media,” says Den Boon. “And they are also used by people who were not yet or just born when the series was shown. Rob Kemps of the Snollebollekes recently used the term ‘joepie de poopie’, and it is from 1985.”
The term ‘yeah, shit’ was coined by Rutten, according to Den Boon: “Before Uncle Willem’s Movie that composition of words did not occur.” According to the editor-in-chief of the Van Dale, the cry expresses a kind of “childish joy”.
Rutten always used the term ‘great gray goat knitter’ to introduce his accordionist Harry Mooten. “It has become synonymous with a . over time grand old man“, says Den Boon. “An important older person, but a bit in a dusty way. You immediately see someone with a fluffy beard in front of you.” The term was recently used in an obituary about peace activist Mient-Jan Faber.
In February, a number of expressions were also released the Fabeltjeskrant added to the Dikke Van Dale. Meneer De Uil’s winged words “close your eyes and close your beaks” are now in the dictionary, as are the term “apple” that Stoffel de Tortoise often used and the word “watch-tube children”.