People who refer to blowing a bubble with gum as "bubbling"

[bandit957]

Do you refer to blowing a bubble with bubble gum as "bubbling"?

I'm pretty sure either I or a family member called it that once when I was 14, back in 1987. But it wasn't until later, at least 1998, that I started regularly calling it that.

It's used in sentences like this...

"Today, I chewed some gum, and I bubbled."

"Later, I'm gonna bubble."

"Right now, I'm bubbling."

"I know a person who regularly bubbles."

[Scott5114]

The first known occurrence of this was by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), during his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 23, 1983.

[Brandon]

Only you.

[jp the roadgeek]

Nope.  Never heard of the term.  Always been blowing a bubble.  Bubbling only refers to the act of something boiling and/or boiling over.  Then again, our Rhode Island and SE Mass friends refer to a water fountain as a bubbler.

[Big John]

Then again, our Rhode Island and SE Mass friends refer to a water fountain as a bubbler.

and Wisconsin.

[hbelkins]

Isn't "bubbling" what you do when you emit a bunker blast while sitting in the bathtub?

[spooky]

Then again, our Rhode Island and SE Mass friends refer to a water fountain as a bubbler.

and Wisconsin.

Actually, only Wisconsin. RI folks refer to a water fountain as a bubblah.

[abefroman329]

I have never heard this term before.

[hotdogPi]

If you look at the water fountain = bubbler map, it also includes a small part of northeastern Massachusetts. This area is disconnected from the one in Rhode Island; Boston is not part of it. I've heard it myself, even though I should be too far north.

EDIT: After looking at the map, the "over 50%" part is disconnected, not the "does anyone use it at all" part. I'm probably in a 20%-30% area, and so is Boston.

[formulanone]

The first known occurrence of this was by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), during his testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 23, 1983.

According to Hattorian Legend, it fell out of favor in 2009 when Fudgie the Whale mistakenly called the wadded-up Yellow Pages "bubbling" as a term for soundeadening for his 1973 Triumph Stag.