Monday, December 12, 2005

Claptrap

Is there any other sort of trap? Happytrap? Funtrap? Clap comes from the German or possibly Dutch word for 'to pat'. Why is talking rubbish about patting a trap? Help.

4 comments:

Stewart said...

It's theatrical slang - you can find a (much) fuller explanation here - http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-cla1.htm

Steve Tilley said...

Thanks Stew.

St

Steve Tilley said...

So talking claptrap is trapping a clap. Doing it just for applause. I talk claptrap all the time then. Most bloggers probably do.

Ali Campbell said...

trap - as in "keep your trap shut" is mouth, clap - as in "I'm going to clap you in the mouth if you give me any more of your nonsense, sonny" is er, thump or something - hence "claptrap" . . .