There's nothing clumsy about C. Language experts think that "fumble" is probably of Scandinavian origin and akin to "fumla," a Swedish word with the same meaning. Other English words showing Scandinavian influence include "skull," "gill," and "mold." When we call a quarrel a "squabble," "scrub" to make something clean, or "sprint" across the finish line in a race, we are also recalling Scandinavian roots. Not surprisingly, a number of English words for animals that are found in the region of Scandinavia come from Scandinavian, including "walrus," "loon," and "flounder."