Pronunciation: 

Did You Know?

As a noun, “rataplan” is a convincing evocation of the sound of a drum —particularly a military drum. It's a French word adopted into English, but there is another word that dates back even earlier: “tattoo.” Since the 17th century, English speakers have used the word “tattoo” to describe military signals by drum, as well as other drum sounds. Like “rataplan,” the word “tattoo” even sounds like a drumbeat. Unlike “rataplan,” however, “tattoo” isn’t onomatopoeic: It’s actually taken from the Dutch “taptoe,” describing the shutting of the tap on a cask.