ta-da

Apr. 30th, 2025 07:18 am
prettygoodword: text: words are sexy (Default)
[personal profile] prettygoodword
ta-da or ta-dah or other variations (tuh-DAH) - inter., used as a mock fanfare to call attention to something.


In most uses, this is close to an exact synonym of voilà. This is also more recent than I expected, as its first attestation is from the early 1920s. This is supposedly imitative of a trumpet fanfare, though I usually think of those as having at least four notes: tuh tuh-tuh-TAH! Though I'm sure there's many more patterns than that. One dictionary notes that the closest thing to the opposite of ta-da is whomp-whomp, which is also imitative of brass, in that case of a sad trombone slide (which I usually think of as three notes).

---L.

Date: 2025-04-30 05:57 pm (UTC)
movingfinger: (Default)
From: [personal profile] movingfinger
I think that ta-dah is derivative of the circus and stage "trick accomplished! applaud now!" two-note cue. Its connotation is jokier and more casual than voilà. Of course voilà is also a stage reference, from magicians' patter...

Date: 2025-04-30 07:17 pm (UTC)
full_metal_ox: A gold Chinese Metal Ox zodiac charm. (Default)
From: [personal profile] full_metal_ox
And “Behold!” has a high ceremonial tone.

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