Lumpy, rumpleheaded, indestructible smile

Post by Marius Hancu
I'm not sure how to take
"lumpy, rumpleheaded" here.

It suggests to me that his head, particularly his face, was far from smooth.

Onelook.com quick definition:

rumpled

adjective: having wrinkles ("Crumpled paper")
adjective: in disarray; extremely disorderly ("A rumpled unmade bed")

Post by Marius Hancu
-----
There was no end in sight. The only end in sight was Yossarian's own,
and he might have remained in the hospital until doomsday had it not
been for that patriotic Texan with his infundibuliform jowls and his
lumpy, rumpleheaded, indestructible smile cracked forever across the
front of his face like the brim of a black ten-gallon hat. The Texan
wanted everybody in the ward to be happy but Yossarian and Dunbar. He
was really very sick.
Catch-22, Joseph Heller, p. 19
------
Thanks.
Marius Hancu

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

Donna Richoux

2008-11-24 15:29:53 UTC

I'm not sure how to take "lumpy, rumpleheaded" here.

It suggests to me that his head, particularly his face, was far from smooth.
rumpled
adjective: having wrinkles ("Crumpled paper")
adjective: in disarray; extremely disorderly ("A rumpled unmade bed")

But what that leaves out is *hair* -- disorderly, unkempt, tousled.
Which MW11 has as its second definition. As a general rule, I wouldn't
use Onelook's quick definition for anything.

Google Books shows that "rumple head" was used reasonably often in the
1920s-1940s. Justice William O. Douglas was described that way, but he
seemed to comb his hair for all photos. Huey Long of Louisiana was also
called a "rumple head," and here's a photo showing his hair in disarray:

Loading Image...

A slang ditionary of 1903 indicates it was used in contempt.

Rumpling someone else's hair is quite a bit like ruffling it. You can
also rumple your own hair.

[Willa Cather, 1918] He rumpled his hair with a quick,
excited gesture, which with him often announces a
new determination ...

-----
There was no end in sight. The only end in sight was Yossarian's own,
and he might have remained in the hospital until doomsday had it not
been for that patriotic Texan with his infundibuliform jowls and his
lumpy, rumpleheaded, indestructible smile cracked forever across the
front of his face like the brim of a black ten-gallon hat. The Texan
wanted everybody in the ward to be happy but Yossarian and Dunbar. He
was really very sick.
Catch-22, Joseph Heller, p. 19
------

The only oddity is why it modifies "smile" -- but we may be in for
another award-winning novelist who gains literary points by compressing
descriptions and changing parts of speech.

--
Best -- Donna Richoux

Peter Duncanson (BrE)

2008-11-24 15:56:22 UTC

I'm not sure how to take "lumpy, rumpleheaded" here.

But what that leaves out is *hair* -- disorderly, unkempt, tousled.
Which MW11 has as its second definition. As a general rule, I wouldn't
use Onelook's quick definition for anything.

I wasn't relying on the quick definition.

Post by Donna Richoux
Google Books shows that "rumple head" was used reasonably often in the
1920s-1940s. Justice William O. Douglas was described that way, but he
seemed to comb his hair for all photos. Huey Long of Louisiana was also
http://www.authentichistory.com/1930s/history/images/huey_long_02.jpg
A slang ditionary of 1903 indicates it was used in contempt.
Rumpling someone else's hair is quite a bit like ruffling it. You can
also rumple your own hair.
[Willa Cather, 1918] He rumpled his hair with a quick,
excited gesture, which with him often announces a
new determination ...

The only oddity is why it modifies "smile" -- but we may be in for
another award-winning novelist who gains literary points by compressing
descriptions and changing parts of speech.

I had thought of the hair aspect of "rumple", but by modifying "smile" it
suggests that in this instance the face has a rumpled, and "lumpy",
appearance.

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

Marius Hancu

2008-11-25 21:49:34 UTC

I'm not sure how to take "lumpy, rumpleheaded" here.

It suggests to me that his head, particularly his face, was far from smooth.

Right.

Post by Peter Duncanson (BrE)
rumpled
adjective: having wrinkles ("Crumpled paper")
adjective: in disarray; extremely disorderly ("A rumpled unmade bed")

But what that leaves out is *hair* -- disorderly, unkempt, tousled.
Which MW11 has as its second definition. As a general rule, I wouldn't
use Onelook's quick definition for anything.
Google Books shows that "rumple head" was used reasonably often in the
1920s-1940s. Justice William O. Douglas was described that way, but he
seemed to comb his hair for all photos. Huey Long of Louisiana was also
http://www.authentichistory.com/1930s/history/images/huey_long_02.jpg
A slang ditionary of 1903 indicates it was used in contempt.
Rumpling someone else's hair is quite a bit like ruffling it. You can
also rumple your own hair.

OK.

Post by Donna Richoux
[Willa Cather, 1918] He rumpled his hair with a quick,
excited gesture, which with him often announces a
new determination ...

The only oddity is why it modifies "smile" -- but we may be in for
another award-winning novelist who gains literary points by compressing
descriptions and changing parts of speech.

I agree with your point about oddity.

Thank you both.
Marius Hancu

CDB

2008-11-25 22:52:38 UTC

Post by Marius Hancu