Oompa Loompa

English

Etymology

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)

1. (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, Ryan Knighton, Cockeyed, A Memoir, page 152:

     Nobody, not even an Umpa Lumpa, had warned me what would happen to a blind guy who refuses to close his eyes.

   • 2006, Adrian C. Louis, Logorrhea, Northwestern University Press,, →ISBN, page 44:

     It could be worse, but I've learned to become invisible to Machiavellian dilettantes, faux radical Satanistas, and bloodsucking Oompa-Loompas of the painfully ordinary variety.

   • 2006, Sherry Argov, Why Men Marry Bitches: A Woman's Guide to Winning Her Man's Heart, page 89:

     [Referring to the male member] It's not one of the Muppets or an Umpa Lumpa.

   • 2006, Anna Jane Grossman, Flint Wainess, It’s Not Me, It’s You: The Ultimate Breakup Book, page 129:

     Don’t be afraid to write your name in the books and on the pans that were yours before you found yourself sharing a studio apartment that would normally not be big enough for an Oompa-Loompa.

   • 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.

   • 2006, Iman, The Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Beauty Guide for Skin of Color, page 34:

     For women with skin of color, it's so, so important to get the shade and tone right. If it's wrong, you can look incredibly ashy, or like an Oompa Loompa.

   • 2007, Meta Smith, Queen of Miami, Hachette Digital, →ISBN:

     The men […] have gone way overboard with the spray-on tan. They’re as orange as Oompa Loompas, and they stare at my boobs for a very long time before acknowledging me.

   • 2009, Reverend Jen, Live Nude Elf: The Sexperiments of Reverend Jen, Counterpoint Press, →ISBN, page 172:

     I don't know who decided all porn actors must be the same shade of orange as Oompa Loompas.

   • 2017 September 13, Haroon Siddique, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory hero 'was originally black'”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Dahl insisted there was no racist intent behind the Oompa Loompas but also said he found himself sympathising with the NAACP.

2. A person appearing orange from fake tanning, resembling the appearance of Oompa Loompas in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.
   • 2012 November 1, Metro Boston‎^[2]:

     Not only does he have an Oompa Loompa for a mother, but if Star magazine is to be believed, that Oompa Loompa will soon be raising him on her own. […] This is great for MTV as its line-up of reality TV shows about young, foolish women with bad tans raising babies solo was looking kinds slim lately.

   • 2015, Chat‎^[3]:

     ‘Oi! Oompa Loompa!’ some bloke yelled at me.
     Whatevs! Like I hadn’t heard that one before!
     My orange tan, huge hair extensions and bright clothes, made me a target.

3. A dwarf, little person, short person.

Translations

Translations

• Finnish: Umppa-Lumppa
• Marathi: ऊम्पा लूम्पा (ūmpā lūmpā)
• Spanish: umpa lumpa m pl, umpa lumpi m pl

Further reading

• Oompa Loompa on Wikipedia.Wikipedia