# 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: /ˈuːmpə ˈluːmpə/

### Noun

Oompa Loompa (plural Oompa Loompas)
* (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, →ISSN:Dahl insisted there was no racist intent behind the Oompa Loompas but also said he found himself sympathising with the NAACP.
* 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: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:‘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.
* A dwarf, little person, short person.

#### Translations
### Further reading

* Oompa Loompa on Wikipedia.Wikipedia