itsy-bitsy 的词源

“迷你可爱”，1882年出现，源自 itty（little 的婴儿语言形式）和/或 bitsy。Bitsy-itsy 记录于1875年。Itty-bitty 早在1849年就有；tiddy-itty 则出现在1852年。

The fond old captain used to talk of her very much as if she were six months old, and fractions in teething, calling her his Peetums-keetums, his Pitsy-itsy-kitsy and such like, which annoyed the girl, .... ["M.B.," "John's Wife," in "Tales of the Day," 1861]

那位慈爱的老船长常常像在谈论一个六个月大的婴儿一样谈论她，称她为他的 Peetums-keetums、Pitsy-itsy-kitsy 等等，这让女孩感到恼火，……【“M.B.”，《约翰的妻子》，《当代故事集》，1861年】