alef Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I grew up saying kitty-corner, and recently heard catty-corner for the first time. Apparently the original term was cater-cornered, but I've never heard that. Just curious to know what other people say. I'm originally from the western US, if that makes a difference. And for the curious, here's an explanation of where the terms came from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Kitty-corner here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Well, I'll share a new one, I say catty-cornered, so a combination of two of your choices. I'm from the South. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I think I say catty-corner, but now seeing kitty-corner, I don't know! I must say both, lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mabeline Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Ha! I thought it was kit cat corner, which makes no sense. I think I have heard catty corner. I would just say diagonally across from. Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Um_2_4 Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Midwest here, and I grew up with caddy corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 None of the above. I'd never heard any of these terms growing up in HI. We just said "diagonally across." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clarkacademy Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I also say cockeyed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathryn Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Well, I'll share a new one, I say catty-cornered, so a combination of two of your choices. I'm from the South. This. Though, if I wrote it, I'd do it correctly. But, I pronounce it and hear it pronounced catty-cornered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 If I'm got in to say it, I would use kitty-corner/cornered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Rarely use the phrase but I've always heard it catty cornered.....never heard kitty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mnemosyne Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I've only ever heard kitty cornered... I'm in the NW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnificent_baby Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I think I say catty-corner, but now seeing kitty-corner, I don't know! I must say both, lol! Me too! Now that I think about it, not sure which one I say. :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Well, I'll share a new one, I say catty-cornered, so a combination of two of your choices. I'm from the South. Another vote for catty-cornered. I am from Kentucky/Ohio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Kitty-corner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Dh is from NY and says catty-corner. You can imagine the scorn I endured when it was discovered that I say kitty-corner. (I'm from MN) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Is this (below) what prompted the poll? (source: grammarist.com) I have not heard any form other than "catty-corner", except for when I abbreviate that to "cat-corner". I'm from Texas, but have lived elsewhere, and know people from many states. Catty-corner, kitty-corner Catty-corner, kitty-corner, and cater-cornered all derive from the Middle English catre-corner, literally meaning four-cornered. All three forms are used throughout the English-speaking world. They usually mean positioned diagonally across a four-way intersection, but they can work in other contexts relating to one thing being diagonal from another. While most dictionaries recommend cater-cornered, kitty-corner and catty-corner are more common in actual usage. The past-participial forms—i.e., kitty-cornered and catty-cornered—might be more grammatically correct, but the uninflected forms are more common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Husband (Texas) says 'catty-corner'. I (southern England) say 'diagonally opposite'. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 kitty corner. I never heard catty corner till it came up on the board a few years ago. I've lived my whole life in the midwest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 catty-corner, but it comes out Cat-a-corner. I'm always dropping the ends of words or slurring them in a hurry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I spent the first 13 years of my life in northern NJ, and say catty-corner (or actually catty cornered). Dh spent his first 5 years in Tennessee, and has been in Florida ever since. He says kitty-corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I've only heard kitty-corner (don't really use the term though). I'm from the West. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Caddy cornered.... I've never heard kitty cornered. Grew up in Maryland, and have lived in various parts of the south most of my adult life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I only ever heard it as kitty-corner where I lived in Idaho--I don't remember hearing it anywhere else. One of the local elementary schools was "kitty-corner" to our church so we used it as a reference point when giving directions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hunter's Moon Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Kitty-corner here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Catty corner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djsmom Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 Catty Corner --Midwest entire life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 kitty corner. I never heard catty corner till it came up on the board a few years ago. I've lived my whole life in the midwest. Also lived my whole life in the Midwest. Never heard of kitty-corner until this poll. Mine comes out "cat-a-corner". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mytwomonkeys Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 catty-corner here. i've never heard it called kitty-corner before, so that is new to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Catty-corner. I have never heard kitty corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Kitty-corner, here. I'm from the midwest. I've only heard catty-corner from people who aren't from around here:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Catty-corner. I have never heard kitty corner. Same here, from the Southeast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFM Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I am a Native Texan, I haven't lived there in 10 years but I say catta corner... not sure if that is right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elinor Everywhere Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I'm from the Midwest, and always said catty corner. My dh is from CA, and he says diagonally across. I haven't said catty corner in years....I guess all the years in CA got it out of me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I've always heard Kiddy-corner. I grew up in SE WI, just outside of Milwaukee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Catty-corner if I'm feeling comparatively formal (with-people-other-than-family formal, not meet-the-Queen formal, though I suspect Queen Elizabeth would appreciate catty-corner), cattywampus if not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giraffe Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Catty-corner if I'm feeling comparatively formal (with-people-other-than-family formal, not meet-the-Queen formal, though I suspect Queen Elizabeth would appreciate catty-corner), cattywampus if not. This, though I think I say kitty-corner too on occasion. I grew up all over the place. It's one of those "If you hadn't asked me, I could answer you" situations. ETA I didn't answer the poll because I say kitty and catty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Well, I'll share a new one, I say catty-cornered, so a combination of two of your choices. I'm from the South. This. I'm also from the South. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom23Boys Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I say either catty corner or catty cornered, depending on context. I live in Louisiana and have my whole life, except for one year in Mississippi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Catty-corner if I'm feeling comparatively formal (with-people-other-than-family formal, not meet-the-Queen formal, though I suspect Queen Elizabeth would appreciate catty-corner), cattywampus if not. I thought 'cattywampus' meant 'askew/awry' or (as I would say it) 'skew whiff', rather than 'diagonally opposite'. I think that's how Husband (Texas) uses it. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Catty cornered always sounded odd to me because of the separate word catty. Like a spiteful, gossipy corner? But catty corner is closer to the word origin and I know is not connected to catty as a stand alone word. I use kitty corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabella Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Never heard any of them (I'm in Australia) in my life! But after reading what it meant, we would say diagonally opposite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Never heard any of them (I'm in Australia) in my life! But after reading what it meant, we would say diagonally opposite. I have never ever heard of them either. I have never said diagonally opposite either. They are not expressions used in Australia.I had to ask my Canadian DH what in the earth it meant. He said it is when you are describing where someone lives according to your house? we would say across the road. Or just point on an angle and say over there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I thought 'cattywampus' meant 'askew/awry' or (as I would say it) 'skew whiff', rather than 'diagonally opposite'. I think that's how Husband (Texas) uses it. Laura now there is a word that I have heard. though not in this context. My mother would say to me that my skirt was skew whiff if it was hanging crooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 now there is a word that I have heard. though not in this context. My mother would say to me that my skirt was skew whiff if it was hanging crooked. Yes, that's how I know both 'skew whiff' and 'cattywampus'. Not the same (to me) as 'catty corner/diagonally opposite'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Also from Texas. We always used catawampus to mean that something is all messed up, out-of-order, etc. Texas born--catty cornered means diagonal catty wompuss--crooked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.