rumtiddlypo

[winnie]

Hi everibody!

Does anybody know what 'rumtiddlypo' means? (hoping it's not a coarse or derogatory word)

Here come the context:

"You have a cardinal who doesn’t seem to have grasped the essence of evolutionary biology (or of the scientific method in general) saying that nature exhibits signs of intelligent design which clearly point toward the Christian God,[...] OK, we know as well as they do that they don’t really mean it, but is a High Rumtiddlypo in the Catholic Church really prepared to go along with this sort of deception?"
(from The Panda's Thumb organization)

Many thanks in advance.

 

[panjandrum]

From the context, I suspect that the phrase High Rumtiddlypo has been invented for the purpose - and means approximately the same as Grand Panjandrum did when it was invented

 

[winnie]

Panj,
in Italy we have this saying "alto papavero" which more or less I think can be rended as "bigshot" or "bigwig" in English.
Do you think "rumtiddlypo" would convey that kind of meaning or I am wrong?
Many Thanks.

 

[timpeac]

Panj,
in Italy we have this saying "alto papavero" which more or less I think can be rended as "bigshot" or "bigwig" in English.
Do you think "rumtiddlypo" would convey that kind of meaning or I am wrong?
Many Thanks.

Yes - I think you're right. I've not heard the word before, not sure if it is made up just for this occasion, but I agree with the impression you have.

 

[winnie]

Thank you, Tim.

 

[panjandrum]

If alto papavero includes some sense of having a ridiculously exaggerated sense of his own importance then I think that would be about right.

 

[winnie]

If alto papavero includes some sense of having a ridiculously exaggerated sense of his own importance then I think that would be about right.

Mostly it is a mix of arrogance and exaggerated sense of importance, as you said. So I think we are on the safe side...