The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #22855   Message #2236028
Posted By: GUEST
14-Jan-08 - 08:57 AM
Thread Name: Penguin: Ratcliffe Highway
Subject: RE: Penguin: Ratcliffe Highway
There is really no evidence at all that the term 'Whopper' has anything at all to do with Wapping (or chained and bloated pirates for that matter).

Far more likely is that the word derives from the verb 'wapper' which means 'to blink'. Some argue that it's etymological origin is the Dutch word 'wapperen' but the evidence is not entirely compelling.