It’s time for me to talk a bit about one of the most ridiculous words on record. There has been quite a bit of confusion about whether it’s “pompom” or “pompon.” If you’re anything like me, you assumed this word was “pom-pom” or maybe “pompom,” but not “pom-pon” and definitely not “pompon.” Recently, I was told that the correct term is “pompon.” While I thought that was ridiculous, I accepted it as truth. However, recent research has shown otherwise. According to my sources, it seems that a “pompom” is a type of “pompon.” This is suggested by their dictionary.com entries, but not clearly explained.
What’s the relevance of this research? Well, it seems that there’s significant misusage of the term for pompom squads. Google searches of “pompom squad” and “pompon squad” give 366 and 548 hits, respectively, which means that approximately 60% of people are mistaken. Let’s get it straight people:
pompon, noun: A tuft or ball of material such as wool or ribbon, used as a decoration, especially on shoes, caps, or curtains.
pompom, noun: A ball of fluffy material, such as feathers or strips of colored paper, that is waved by cheerleaders and sports fans.
Wait, I’m confused now. How do we not know it is Pompom? Or is it pompom? Regardless, I fail to see which is the correct answer, because the squads could be named after pompoms or pompons. Perhaps there are both types of squads depending on footwear and other such variables. How intensive was your research?
Oh, it was intensive. Did you look at the wikipedia entry?
Oh, I looked, but I still think both are reasonable possibilities. We have so much to learn in this vast amazing universe. The riddles of time must be uncovered. Next week’s installment: What does poupon mean in grey poupon?