Topsy turvy magic is a type of magic that involves the transformation or manipulation of objects in unusual or unexpected ways. The term "topsy turvy" refers to something being turned upside down or reversed, and this concept is central to the performance of this type of magic. **The main idea behind topsy turvy magic is to defy conventional expectations and create a sense of wonder and surprise for the audience**. In topsy turvy magic, objects may appear to vanish or transform into something else entirely. For example, a magician may take a seemingly ordinary deck of cards and, with a flick of the wrist, turn them into a completely different set of cards or even a solid block of glass. These types of transformations can elicit gasps and applause from the audience, as they defy what is possible in the natural world.
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EXCHANGE OR RETURN ON UNOPENED SUPPLIES ONLY We have a 15-day return policy, which means you have 15 days after receiving your item to request a return. Sterling and music by Kerry Miles, this became the theme song for the classic 1944 film of the same name, directed by Vincent Minelli and starring Judy Garland.
These types of transformations can elicit gasps and applause from the audience, as they defy what is possible in the natural world. One of the key techniques used in topsy turvy magic is misdirection. The magician will use sleight of hand or other techniques to divert the audience's attention away from the actual trick being performed.
When Language Goes All Topsy Turvy
The 1904 song “Meet Me in St. Louis” promises, “We will dance the Hootchee Kootchee, I will be your tootsie wootsie, if you will meet me in St. Louis, Louis, meet me at the Fair!” With lyrics by Andrew B. Sterling and music by Kerry Miles, this became the theme song for the classic 1944 film of the same name, directed by Vincent Minelli and starring Judy Garland. This delightful musical—in which Louis is pronounced Loo-ee—celebrated the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition/World’s Fair held in that city to commemorate the centennial of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase. According to the Collins Dictionary, the hootchy kootchy is “a dance performed by women that was once common in carnivals and fairs, marked by a sinuous and often suggestive twisting and shaking of the torso and limbs.” But it is also—along with tootsie wootsie—an example of a rhyming compound or “reduplicative,” the myriad examples of which enliven our speech, are fun to say, and add an air of playfulness to our prose.
Reduplication involves the repetition of a word or part of a word, often with a slight change in its form, as in goody goody or easy peasy (lemon squeezy). When the vowel in the second word changes, it’s called “ablaut reduplication.” It seems humans love to create these silly, musical jingles that pepper our language—we take pleasure in the alliteration (repeated initial consonants) and assonance (repeated vowel sounds) of these constructions. We’ve been creating them for hundreds of years, some tracing back to the early 15 th century. Whether they are rhyming, as in loosey goosey, or feature a changing component, as in chit chat, the effect is the same: they make a serious-sounding word—loose or chat—sound silly, thus adding an air of playfulness to what’s being said. Some, like super duper or tip top, intensify the meaning. As Patrick B. Oliphant once wrote, “Correct me if I’m wrong: the gizmo is connected to the fling flang connected to the watzis, watzis connected to the doo-dad connected to the ding dong.”
I’m sure you can think of many examples (a partial list is included here). “Her closet is a mess, with shoes stored willy nilly, and clothes strewn all higgledly piggledy. And her taste for gew gaws and fingle fangles is on full display in her jewelry box.” Some of the more unique (or nearly obsolete) reduplicatives include skimble skamble, meaning rambling and senseless; ricky tick, a sweet jazz style reminiscent of the 1920s; and hurly burly, a tumult or uproar. So don’t indulge in any hanky panky while you boogie woogie to the ricky tick! In Greek, etsy ketsy means so-so, neither good nor bad. And the French use comme ci, comme ça to express the same shrug of the shoulders.
The late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was especially fond of these expressions. In 2015 he wrote, “The Court’s next bit of interpretive jiggery-pokery involves other parts of the Act,” referring to underhanded manipulation or trickery. He also used hodge podge (a heterogeneous mixture or jumble) in a 1991 legal opinion, and argle bargle (a dispute or controversy) in 2013. Scalia was not alone. In 1961 Tom Clark wrote that “railroads have played hanky panky with their rates”—meaning underhanded (or improper sexual) activity, and William Douglas used hocus pocus in a 1960 decision, referring to sleight of hand. William Taft wrote in 1922 of a man’s “attempt to evade his obligations by a hugger mugger” [confused muddling] of his various corporations.” The book I’m reading is such a hodge podge, it’s driving me cray cray! Other languages have similar constructions.
Rantum scantum, meaning careless or disorderly, has been in use “for over 400 years now; the word appears in print as far back as the 17th century.
Sir Barnaby: No better nor no worse, are these trappings fit for a Ladies Chamber? there has been Rantum scantum doings within, the Bed’s turn’d Topsy Turvy, Men’s Cloathes and Women’s, thrown Higeldy Pigeldy; whilst some are at it, helter skelter, arsy versy, hand over head, and the Devil and all.
Captain: What a Pox is all this — I am a shark, if I understand one syllable of what he sayes. —Edward Ravenscroft, The Canterbury Guests, 1695” (merriam-webster.com)
Speaking of helter skelter—defined as in undue haste, confusion, or disorder—the darkly playful song of this name from the Beatles’ White Album was unfortunately adopted by Charles Manson to justify his crazed fantasies of starting an apocalyptic race war in Los Angeles, when he led his followers on a murder spree in 1969. His arrest and prosecution are chronicled in the 1974 book Helter Skelter: the True Story of the Manson Murders by Vincent Bugliosi, who prosecuted Manson in the 1970 trial.
Pell mell means in mingled confusion or disorder. In a little-known tidbit of history, while President of the United States (1801-1809), “Thomas Jefferson believed that the president’s dress and manners should reflect the republican simplicity and informality of the country. Pomp and show reminded him too much of the European courts.” To ensure that the American public did not mistake their president for a king, he adopted a purposeful informality, such as shaking hands instead of bowing, and dressing informally for official receptions. For the same reason, “he promoted what came to be known as ‘pell-mell’ etiquette, a much more informal style of dinner etiquette than that observed by his predecessors [or successors]. He refused to observe the rules of protocol in seating his dinner guests. First come, first served was the rule in the White House. Jefferson explained: In social circles, all are equal, whether in, or out, of office, foreign or domestic; and the same equality exists among ladies and gentlemen.” This “pell mell policy” caused considerable tension with diplomats and their wives, who were offended by his homely dress and having to fight for a seat at the table.
So, the next time you hob nob with the riff raff, don’t act hoity toity, but give a nod to the linguists who identify and analyze cool language phenomena like reduplicatives. Such snippets of silly rhyme make the language more colorful. Most of all, they are just plain fun to say. I hope I don’t seem namby pamby (insipid and weak) when I admit how much I enjoy them! I’m just tickled pink to be able to share them with you.
Reduplicative Examples
Rhyming Compounds
- Artsy fartsy
- Boogie woogie
- Bow wow
- Chick flick
- Easy peasy (lemon squeezy)
- Fuddy duddy
- Hanky panky
- Harum scarum
- Helter skelter
- Higgledy piggledy
- Hob nob
- Hocus pocus (minnie-ocus)
- Hodge podge
- Hoity toity
- Hootchy kootchy
- Hugger mugger
- Hurly burly
- Jeepers creepers
- Jibber jabber
- Jingle jangle
- Loosey goosey
- Namby pamby
- Okey dokey
- Pell mell
- Rantum scantum
- Razzle dazzle
- Ricky tick
- Spit spot
- Super duper
- Teeny weeny
- Tidbit
- Tootsie wootsie
- Walkie talkie
- Willy nilly
- Chit chat
- Ding dong
- Fingle fangle
- Flim flam
- Flip flop
- Gew gaw
- Hip hop
- Mish mash
- Ping pong
- Pitter patter
- Riff raff
- See saw
- Shilly shally
- Sing song
- Skimble skamble
- Tick tock
- Tip top
- Topsy turvy
- Wishy washy
- Zigzag
- TAGS
- Clover's Literary Corner
The gimmick is a tube of newspaper (double layer), painted high gloss black on the outside, with the label pasted on, and newsprint clearly seen inside.
By drawing attention to something else, such as a distracting movement or a humorous comment, the magician can create an illusion that the impossible has just occurred. This sleight of hand is often practiced over many hours to perfect the timing and execution of the trick. Another important element of topsy turvy magic is the element of surprise. **The main idea behind topsy turvy magic is to keep the audience guessing and constantly surprising them with unexpected twists and turns**. This can be accomplished through the use of unpredictable props or by combining multiple tricks into one performance. By continuously surprising the audience with the unexpected, the magician is able to create a sense of wonder and awe that makes the performance memorable. Topsy turvy magic can be a challenging form of magic to master, as it requires a combination of technical skill, creativity, and showmanship. Magicians who specialize in topsy turvy magic often spend years honing their craft and developing their own unique style. They may also incorporate elements of storytelling or comedy into their performances to enhance the overall experience for the audience. **In conclusion, topsy turvy magic is a captivating form of magic that aims to defy expectations and create a sense of wonder through the unexpected. It requires skill, creativity, and showmanship to execute successfully, but when done well, it can leave a lasting impression on the audience**..
Reviews for "The Magic of Scan Topsyturvy: A Journey through Illusion and Wonder"
1. John Doe - 1 star - I was really disappointed with "Scan topsy turvy magic". The tricks were not impressive at all and it felt like the magician was just going through the motions without any real passion or skill. The audience was visibly bored and there was no sense of wonder or excitement throughout the show. I would not recommend wasting your time or money on this lackluster performance.
2. Jane Smith - 2 stars - I had high expectations for "Scan topsy turvy magic" based on the promotional material, but unfortunately, it fell flat. The tricks were predictable and unimpressive, and the magician's delivery lacked charisma. The show lacked the wow factor and left me feeling underwhelmed. I would suggest seeking out other magic performances that offer more captivating and engaging experiences.
3. Mike Johnson - 1 star - "Scan topsy turvy magic" was a complete disaster. The tricks were poorly executed, and it was obvious that the magician was struggling with the performance. The whole show felt unprofessional, and the lack of audience interaction made it even worse. Save yourself the disappointment and look for a different magic show that actually knows how to entertain and amaze the audience.
4. Sarah Thompson - 2 stars - While "Scan topsy turvy magic" had a few moments of intrigue, overall, it failed to deliver a satisfying magic experience. The tricks were uninspired, and the magician's stage presence was lacking. The show also suffered from pacing issues, with long periods of downtime between tricks. I would recommend exploring other magic performances that offer more polished and captivating routines for a truly magical experience.