luskie Apr 4, 2014:

noooo, Robert! I think Bdil was saying that he thinks they called it like that out of ignorance instead that out of play! and, as for me, I really like your imaginative solution, and think it might well be spot on!

Robert Mongiello Apr 3, 2014:

So BdiL you think I'm ignorant because I thought of "schiaccia" as in "press"? Thanks a lot. That's what I get for being too imaginative.

BdiL Apr 2, 2014:

Not sure Was it the mouth's fault or the ear's fault? Schiacciapensieri does not exist in Italian. And BTW "scacciapensieri" is also the "jew's arp", well known in Sicily. A similar drift took place from the original guardacaccia and guardapesca to the widely used guardiacaccia and guardiapesca, thanks to the approximate usage pointing at "guardia" and not to the verbal form of verb "guardare", meaning to warden, to oversee. Sweet and funny thinking of buttons to be pressed, Robert Mongiello, but I ascribe it to plain ignorance. Sorry.

dandamesh Apr 2, 2014:

scacciapensieri I think this is correct in Italian
http://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/scacciapensieri/