Oompa Loompa

== English == === Etymology === Coined by British author Roald Dahl. Apparently a fanciful formation in line with whimsical English words like fuzzy-wuzzy, Humpty Dumpty, etc. Perhaps reminiscent of "exotic" ethnonyms to Westerners; note Roald Dahl spent time in Tanganyika, East Africa, during his service in the Royal Air Force. Also compare oom-pah (“genre of German folk music”) (the Oompa Loompas dance to quirky, rhythmic songs). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈuːmpə ˈluːmpə/ === Noun === Oompa Loompa (plural Oompa Loompas) (fiction) Any of the fictional pygmies who manufacture candy in Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. 1999 June, Mike Myers, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, New Line Cinema: Dr. Evil: Is he giving off too much of a creepy Umpa Lumpa vibe? / What’s wrong, Mini-Me? 2006, Simon Trewin and Michael Moran, The Encyclopaedia of Guilty Pleasures, John Murray, →ISBN, page unknown: Nevertheless, some subtle market forces are at work which pressure the canny shopkeeper into giving up valuable shelf space to the contents of an Oompa Loompa’s cocktail cabinet. A person appearing orange from fake tanning, resembling the appearance of Oompa Loompas in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. A dwarf, little person, short person. ==== Translations ==== === Further reading === Oompa Loompa on Wikipedia.Wikipedia