ploppy

[birdeen's call]

YouTube - Rowan Atkinson: Blackadder "Ploppy Son Of Ploppy"

Could you please explain the joke to me? Does "ploppy" mean anything? Or is it just some kind of nonsense humour?

 

[philadelphia]

YouTube - Rowan Atkinson: Blackadder "Ploppy Son Of Ploppy"

Could you please explain the joke to me? Does "ploppy" mean anything? Or is it just some kind of nonsense humour?

I have not listened to your music but I can tell you that ploppy may be either a silly comment or a silly person, so it would make sense.

 

[BobK]

YouTube - Rowan Atkinson: Blackadder "Ploppy Son Of Ploppy"

Could you please explain the joke to me? Does "ploppy" mean anything? Or is it just some kind of nonsense humour?

It doesn't mean anything. 'Plop' is the onomatopoeic word for something liquid bursting, so it might be a reference to his skin condition; but there's no reason why pustules should run in the family, so I think it's just used as a nonsense word.

b

 

[SoothingDave]

I always took it as a poop reference.

 

[BobK]

I always took it as a poop reference.

There is that, but Richard Curtis (Rowan's writer) favours nonsense words that contain bilabial plosives - because Rowan delivers them in a characteristic way. In another Blackadder episode, there's a character called 'Bob' (no relation), which he delivers with two fully aspirated plosives - not an unreleased stop for the second one. And in all five series, there's a character called Baldrick (Tony Robinson).

b