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Words and Phrases that Should Exist but Probably Don't

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 169 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

Ranked #2 in Entertainment

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Rated G. (Control what you see)

Created by Caseyfern (contact me)

M K (Casey) van Bronkhorst





I've never won a game of Scrabble in my life. If you read much of this lens, you can probably tell why.

Just don't call me a kritard. Please.  (more...)

Check out my other Squidoo pages

Start your own Squidoo page

Your fans are waiting!

Confrajulate This...

 

Ever suffered from aerosomnambulism? Would you know if you had..?

Ever been tempted to call someone a scritoon but had no idea why?


Ever felt slightly schadengrint?

If you answered YES (or JA or OUI!) to any of the above, congrafumigations! You're in the right place - the land of Words and Phrases that Should Exist but Probably Don't.

Please don't forget to tapdance all over the guestbook when you're done. It's about the only entertainment the kritard gets...

Now, which way to the Wordorium!?

Newly Hatched Thoughts and Schemes 

Just what you've been waiting for...

Contrary to what some erstwhile solid folks believe, there is nothing wrong with making up your own words. It's not at all strange. How do you think we got words in the first place? Someone, perhaps a brachiosaurus of some intellect, at some time in the not too distant prehistoric past must have looked at a green flowering plant, poked at its ungainly leaves, puzzled over its fat stalks, scratched his head and thought, 'Dang, that looks a lot like a broccoli...'

Luckily for car lovers everywhere, said brachiosaurus didn't scratch his head and think, 'Dang, that looks a lot like a Ford.'

'nuff said. Never underestimate the power of Fords, broccoli, imagination, brachiosauri or other lizard-like entities.

Playing with your words should be as much a part of growing up as playing with your food - frequent, messy, highly encouraged.

Oddly Enough... 

(as if this whole thing weren't odd enough already...)

I am completely katriskilated to add the LOTD badge to this lovingly hand carved bucket of confusion. Thanks, Megan 'n all SquidBoss types!

New For You Today:
wickerknickery - the latticework design left on the back of your legs after an hour in a wicker porch rocker
-=-

You may not find these on Google, unless by the time you read this, one of the terms has become a popular grok.(Actually you can now find geekenfodder and kritard.. they just started to show up!)

You won't find them at Yahoo or eBay or even Amazon, although Amazon does have a lot of pretty amazing stuff.

You won't find them in a dictionary, unless your dictionary is weirder than mine.

Because I made 'em up.

Read on, from Aerosomnambulism to Zomolanthic, and I hope you find some words in here you can use. We're missing a lot of them in common use.

Besides how else would you describe intermittently malfunctioning cables, when ethergrem is the obvious word for the task?

Today, we begin a small hobnarg into the sources of words, remove some old polls and contests, and replace them with new fresh challenges.

Brought to you by the Letter Q and the number 9 

and sponsored by Perfectly Shaped World


Perfectly Shaped World proudly sponsors this silliness-packed lens.

Drink up all the life and laughter you can!

 

Danger, Will Robinson. Danger. Warning. 

Warning. Watch Your Step. Danger. Careful.

Warning. Danger.

If you're a copywriter or proofreader, I can take no responsibility for the skin-crawling itchy uncomfortable sensation that will crawl up the back of your neck, as you encounter the contents.

You've been warned.

A 

aerosomnambulism
Pron: ar-o-sawm-nam-ewe-lisum
Ability to nap while standing in line to go through airport security.

algorbic
Pron: al-gor-bik
Delusional, convinced of the reality of fantasy. Overwhelmed with the desire to speak nonsense.

His statements regarding the stability of the ionosphere were algorbic at best.

Truly Real Words Belong in Dictionaries 

Make-believe is fun, of course, but to really get good at spelling, definitions, Scrabble, you need a really good dictionary.
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition (Book with CD-ROM)

Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition (Book with CD-ROM)

lected by the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and other leading newspapers as their official dictionary of choice.

Amazon Price: $17.79 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

B 

bicmorgish (adj.)
Pron: bik-mor-gish
State of confusion brought about by repeatedly grabbing for pens that won't write but have not been thrown away.

blatherskype
Pron: BLA-thur-skIp
One who monopolizes VOIP or other internet telephone conversations.

blofuddle
Pron: bloh-fuh-duhl
To publish a blog entry that appears completely factual while being completely fictional.

C 

calamamania
Pron: ka-la-mah-may-ni-a
Obsessive writing and updating of Squidoo lenses.
See also: plexomania

calfrapticate
Pron: cal-frahptuh-kayt
The tendency to put off tasks because the weather is too nice to stay away from the beach / park / outdoor cafe.

carpedaic
Pron: kar-puh-day-ik
Of or pertaining to a high degree of hedonistic enthusiasm.

coblaborative (adj.)
Pron: co-bla-buh-ray-tiv
A group or committee venture spending the majority of its time together in nonproductive argument.

cognostication
Pron: cog-naw-stih-kay-shun
Predicting future outcomes based on limited understanding of the cause.

constromation
Pron: kahn-stro-may-shun
Confusion particular to that experienced by a United States Supreme Court justice.

Somewhere Between 2 and 10 Steps to Making Your Own Words 


  1. Think of a condition, state of being, or attitude.
  2. Pick a couple or three words to describe it
  3. Smadooble them together
  4. Twilk the letter arrangement slightly
  5. Check your results in Google
  6. Check results in Free Dictionary or other dictionary-like source, including ones made of [*gasp*] paper.


Congraturacticalations - you just made up your first word!

It only takes two steps if you're feeling completely positive (posilactic!) that the word does not yet exist. Make it up and post it here with your name on it, then let it fly freely unto the waiting world.

That way when glamahoony becomes as common as toaster oven, we shall know for all time who gets the acclaim and credit for having come up with it first.

The other steps are only necessary if you need to further twilk the results and schmeezlik around until you find a word that works. You'll know it by the flavor.

Just think,... Lewis Carroll never had it so good,. Without this marvelous WWW at his fingertips, look what HE did.

(Italicized words are my own inventions - go invent your own!)

What Else What Else What Else? 

What can you add to this insubranchal melee? Got a favorite word or phrase that doesn't exist yet but should? Place it here, along with its definition if you know it. (KEEP IT CLEAN!)

If your entry got deleted, don't kiffivle and gawp. This is not an advertising plexo, although there are a grabillion on lenses all over the place where you are probably welcome to post your netwaggery.

#1

Vote Up

Destinasia

That "why-did-I-come-in-here-again?" feeling.13 points

#2

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Toungry

When your tongue is hungry. :) Sometimes you know you are toungry when you keep eating even though you are completely overly full.12 points

#3

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punctimonious

those who are ALWAYS on time and smugly watch you rush in 5 minutes late9 points

#4

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spermanosis indifferanosis

When a woman realizes she does not need a man.8 points

#5

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blograndize

making something seem more important than it is by blogging it6 points

#6

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panderpussying

Habitually opening doors for a non cat flap-using feline.6 points

#7

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idiodyssey

An idiot's journey through life. Remember, life must be hard for idiots, so try to have at least a bit of sympathy.5 points

#8

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Bushensa

membership group for people who fall within the bottom 5% of the IQ spectrum5 points

#9

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lensitorium

a collection of cross-linked and cross-favored lenses and lensmasters4 points

#10

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Muffinstuff

I love saying this word! It's the ingredients used to make muffins. It's fun to say!4 points

#11

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idiocracy

a governing body, usually a town or city council, made up of slack jawed idiots.4 points

#12

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inadverdunt

feeling you get when you realize you've watered a silk ficus tree for two weeks3 points

#13

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algoraphobic

fear of the internet...or anything else invented by Al Gore3 points

#14

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pornclicktrickery

when an unscrupulously placed web ad directs an unwitting end user to an adult website3 points

#15

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cellibitionist

one who derives pleasure from carrying on a cell phone conversation loudly enough for everyone to hear3 points

#16

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elationship

a friendship with someone who makes you feel happy to be alive.3 points

#17

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hypercarbulate

consume waaay too many carbohydrates just in case you might run a marathon sometime this century2 points

#18

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lotrennui

A condition brought about by talkative, die-hard Lord of the Rings fans. esp. those compelled to make comparisons between the books and the movies. Symptoms include eye-glazing, hypertension and occasional vomiting. See also: lotremesis2 points

#19

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web2omania

The almost uncontrollable urge to sign up for cool new web 2.0 services. This can lead to lost sleep and dangerous inbox overflow. There is no known cure. (Until Web 3.0 comes)2 points

#20

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Packageagraphobic

Rage brought on by inability to get into your new dvd2 points

#21

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Internetherworld

That mysterious land where long emails, Squid updates, and blog posts of great import disappear, never to return...2 points

#22

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idioplomacy

the crass way of making an obvious improvement right under the others nose2 points

#23

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paraslyte

someone who uses a venue for their own advertising purposes despite its obvious intent2 points

#24

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antigrammer

(AN-tee-gram-er): The matter that fills the email message of one who has completely abandoned all grammar and spelling sense.2 points

#25

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Doomfoolery

A person who believes that global warming is a hoax.2 points

#26

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Carpaldiem

wrist pain suffered as a result of seizing the day too often2 points

#27

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frimframitization

reducing knowledge to a level of nonsense1 point

#28

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shirmumagins

quiet mischief1 point

#29

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hippopotomacus

Overly rotund occupants of Congressional seats1 point

#30

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LactiPlastiOstriFactionists

People who make ostriches out of milk containers and plastic straws (usually school kids)1 point

#31

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barkitisplaynegus

Incessant barking by a dog when the owner is too tired to play with it.1 point

#32

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analglycomosis

Acute disease causing one to call in sick due to the inability to see their butt going to work1 point

#33

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niffed

To be in a state of confusion.1 point

#34

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tailgatory obnoxarrhea

chronic disease whose primary symptom is the uncontrollable urge to tailgate in rush-hour traffic. Secondary symptoms include an inability to be patient in the grocery checkout line.1 point

#35

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RightishHaughtish-ness

A right wing conservative who thinks that global warming is a hoax and a ploy to raise taxes.1 point

#36

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typochondriac

obsesses over spelling of words (my own is occurrence)1 point

#37

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pandermonium

the daily flood of emails trying to get you to buy enhancing drugs, find your true love on [name that site], achieve instant wealth1 point

#38

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spamfrumptious

resembling, having the appearance of, or tasting like SPAM0 points

#39

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vespitule

the hallway just inside the door where they store the scritoon, of course.0 points

#40

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consterniferous

the opposite of consterdeciduous0 points

#41

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consterdeciduous

the opposite of consterniferous0 points

#42

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fraguys

Fellow members or buddies who act like or resemble fraternity brothers.0 points

#43

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Clintonitis

Mental illness caused by thought of more years with the the Clintons0 points

#44

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Entetymology

The study of bug words.0 points

#45

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ignoranus

(your definition goes here...)0 points

#46

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Manicbushedelic.ism

Condition brough on by over indulgence in the afairs of George Bush (Junior and Senior)0 points

#47

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Autografobia

A condition related to over excesive autograph hunting after people who are not famous.0 points

#48

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Paraleticsimites

Condition brought on by consuming large quantity,s of Alcohol. Also another name for the british Para,s regiment also known as the Para-Mites.0 points

#49

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Kindclasses

Bully - free schools0 points

#50

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idiodiplomacy

a diplomatic demand that you have no intention of waiting to be fulfilled before you attack0 points

#51

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Packageaphobic

cold sweats and panic attacks brought on by the thought of getting into your new dvd0 points

#52

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triptophantasmagoria

state of hallucination in which you believe you can stay awake after Thanksgiving dinner to watch a full game of football0 points

#53

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Stude

That tiny peice of meat that gets stuck between your teeth after eating the main course.0 points

#54

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infiltriangulism

attacking (or attacked!) from all sides but one0 points

#55

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Stripgrapher

Nude Photographer0 points

#56

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fizztivity

The amount of carbonation evident in a soda; used as a good indicator of freshness.0 points

#57

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Perspectivate

V: to look at something from someone else's point of view
Perspectivating, Perspectivation0 points

#58

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Supraaxicperplexation

"Su-pra-ak-sic-per-plex-a-shun" The state of confusion, sheer amazement and admiration of a world class guitarist.0 points

#59

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goofamungous

a very large, silly person in our midst; can be used as a noun "That goofamungous has stude in his fangs!" or as an adjective "Those goofamungous fraguys should really try harder to perspectivate the stripgrapher."0 points

Superior Person's Third Book of Well-Bred Words 

(the first two volumes are down a bit further)

Third of the series and, to my thinking, perhaps the funniliciousest of them all to date. Get ready to giggle (and maybe even learn some words that would otherwise rarely cross your eardrums.
The Superior Person's Third Book of Well-Bred Words

The Superior Person's Third Book of Well-Bred Words

by Peter Bowler

From Publishers Weekly
If you seek the perfect insult, a means to impress or plain old inscrutability, look no further than The Superior Person's Third Book of Well-Bred Words by series author Peter Bowler (Human Remains), illustrated by Dennis Corrigan. At once flaunting and mocking a raunchy upper-crust sensibility, Bowler offers a lexicon devoid of practical value, but replete with entertaining possibilities. Readers will learn the definitions of nearly obsolete words like peascod-belly ("A false stomach worn under the clothing by Elizabethan men") and musophobia ("The morbid dread of mice"), many of which won't be found in standard desktop dictionaries. Not for the faint of wit.

Amazon Price: $13.05 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

D 

disencheney
Pron: dih-sun-chay-nee
Silent hope that a prior act or oversight will be forgotten.

drunaton (n.)
Pron: drun-eh-tawn
A person in an inebriated state so profound that s/he cannot act independently.

dyslensic
Pron: dis-len-sik
State of confusion from leaping through hundreds of related lenses; inability to backtrack to the place you are sure you read something.

E 

electromolastic
Pron: uh-lek-troh-moh-lah-stik
State of connectivity which stretches time in a manner that makes 30 seconds of download time feel like 4 hours.

ethergrem
Pron: eh-thur-grem
Mythical creature thought to inhabit Beldin twisted pair sockets and old SCSI cables, gnarling data passage as prank.

The Superior Person's Second Book of Weird and Wondrous Words 

(look a bit further for Vol 1)

This might just do the trick to whet the appetite, although some of these might not be as universally comprehensible as the ones we make up ourselves. How can you not totally fall in love with a book that offers anfractuous (intricate or circuitous) and balladromic (maintaining a course to an ultimate target). This is the second book of this sort. The first is offered below.
The Superior Person's Second Book of Weird and Wondrous Words

The Superior Person's Second Book of Weird and Wondrous Words

by Peter Bowler

Like its predecessor, this useful, funny, and edifying little volume will give you the right words for any occasion. This second collection contains 600 outlandish (and thoroughly useful) words that will help readers, in the words of the author, "more readily assert a fitting ascendancy over their fellows at the traffic lights of life."

Amazon Price: $12.28 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

F 

fibrogathropic
Pron: fie-broh-guh-thraw-pik
The bloated feeling experienced after eating one too many bran muffins.

forthwap
Pron: fuhr-thwap
Response of moderator or legitimate member to non-members who spam forums with unrelated and unsolicited advertising.

G 

geekenfodder
Pron: gee-kuhn-faw-duhr
Trinkets used to lure technical support personnel to prioritize repairs and assistance.
See also: more interactive information on geekenfodder

grafihehe
Pron: gra-fee-hee-hee
Humorous wall scribblings.

gramculate
Pron: gram-kew-layt
To obsessively calculate weights and liquid measures.

guacaloon
Pron: gwah-kah-loon
A person with an overwhelming distaste for spicy mashed avocado.

The Superior Person's Book of Words 

First in the series (the others are above). Just a taste of the product description was enough to send me running for it, purse in hand. Not that I wanted the book so I could feel superior, nono no. I just love words!
The Superior Person's Book of Words

The Superior Person's Book of Words

by Peter Bowler

A dictionary for those who perceive a difference, a handbook for Superior Persons who love words.

Are you an Anglophile? (Stout fellow!) Just stand at this springboard and leave the fields of popinjay jabber and tongue-stumped battology behind forever!

Amazon Price: $11.16 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

H 

harmomaniac
Pron: hahr-moh-may-nee-ak
Person who insists on taking harmonica on camping trips, even though he doesn't know how to play it. Plays it anyway.

hillicate
Pron: hil-uh-kayt
Drifts of beach sand that clump together in the toes of shoes.

I 

immenturity
Pron: im-men-tuh-rih-tee
State of being that drives a 44-year-old father of three preteens to try to compete with them on a snowboard.

insubranchal (adj.)
Pron: in-sub-ran-chuhl
Not big enough to warrant its given name.
The suburban home's "acreage" was decidedly insubranchal.

inebridignation
Pron: eh-nih-brih-dig-nae-shun
Indignant anger state reached while over-consuming alcohol.

Your Own Words 

Ah, thank goodness. Someone else who believes, as I do, that words are not inanimate objects but dynamic, intricate constructs that need to be challenged on a daily basis.
Your Own Words: The Bestselling Author of Word Court Explains How to Decipher Decipher the Dictionary, Master the Usage Manual, and Be Your Own Language Expert

Your Own Words: The Bestselling Author of Word Court Explains How to Decipher Decipher the Dictionary, Master the Usage Manual, and Be Your Own Language Expert

by Barbara Wallraff

Wallraff, the author of Word Court (2000) and a columnist for the Atlantic Monthly, tells readers how they can answer language questions for themselves. She posits that not even the leading authorities on language agree on many things and that respected reference works don't always agree on how to spell hundreds of words, on what some words mean, and on how to use them properly.

Amazon Price: (as of 05/12/2008)

 

J 

jelliflate (v.)
Pron. jeh-lih-flayt
To reach the consistency and texture of barely set gelatin.

The cook frowned when he noticed that his aspic had barely begun to jelliflate.

K 

kritard
Pron: krih-tahrd
A slow-witted but adorable feline.
See also: More interactive information on kritards

Lapsing into a Comma 

Just laughing isn't enough. You should be given the chance to learn something while you skate through, and Lapsing into a Comma is one of those perfect opportunities. Written in a wonderful, readable style, and eminently re-readable (or is that imminently?)(eminantly?)(imaninently?) Bah. You know what I mean, right?
Lapsing Into a Comma : A Curmudgeon's Guide to the Many Things That Can Go Wrong in Print--and How to Avoid Them

Lapsing Into a Comma : A Curmudgeon's Guide to the Many Things That Can Go Wrong in Print--and How to Avoid Them

by Bill Walsh

The first half of Lapsing Into a Comma zips along, making you think about the intricacies of grammar and editing--all while trying not to choke on laughter. The second half is Walsh's personally crafted style guide. Remember--Roommate: Two m's, unless you ate a room or mated with a roo. --Dana Van Nest

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

Other Like-Minded Wordsmithtresses 

(and wordsmithters too)

All hail, ye of the open mind. All hail, ye of the kindred spirit. We applaunk you high-5starringly and homorith your achievements herein.
featured lens DROLL DICTIONARIES

To most folks, dictionaries are barely browsed books used to cover wearisome walls or as a dandy device to prop open a dang-nabbed door. To wordpeckers and wordsmiths, dictionaries are time-tested...

featured lens Lost Positives: Where'd they go?

Lost Positives are those words in the English language that really don't make sense without a prefix such as un- or in- or re- or de-. Example:  what's the opposite of inevitable? Ever heard of evitable? Me neither. The positive of inevitable is...

featured lens Things of a Curious Nature

Ever notice the word Eccentric has two e's and one i? These stand for the three components of Eccentricity: Eclecticism, Esotericism, and Idiosyncrasy. This MetaLens is a general compendium of things puzzling, quaint, piquant, and just plain weird (if...

L 

lintrant (v.)
Pron: lin-trant
To respond to archived or expired forum threads long after the topic has died down.

M 

marshmato (n.)
Pron: marsh-may-tow
Vegetables left over on the plate as inedible.

miniscruel
Pron: mih-nih-scrool
Malicious nitpicking; using the tiniest of errors as fodder for attack.

mobitulate
Pron: moh-bih-tchew-layt
To drive while calling ahead on cell phone to explain tardiness.

Woe is I 

Grammar is one of those unfortunate consequences of communication. This lovely lighthearted book deals with grammar and language questions, as well as some well-stated etiquette guidelines for e-mail, of all things!
Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, Second Edition

Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, Second Edition

by Patricia T. O'Conner

The second edition of O'Connor's delightful guide to good English offers a new chapter on e-mail etiquette that ought to make many people-even grammar snobs-feel a tad guilty: "E-mail," she writes, "is no excuse for lousy English." Let your audience determine your attention to tone and mechanics; use salutations and signatures; resist the urge to indiscriminately forward mail; and leave those emoticons and abbreviations at home, she says.

Amazon Price: $11.20 (as of 05/12/2008)

N 

norchistication
Pron: nor-chih-stih-kay-shun
The act of naysaying without cause or explanation

O 

omninarinatophobia
Pron: om-ni-nay-ree-nay-tuh-fo-bee-a
All-encompassing fear that a toddler will stick anything and everything up his nose as soon as your back is turned.

Eats, Shoots and Leaves 

This side-splitting gem is a modern classic that deserve to be read repeatedly then given away to your best friend. Then buy another for yourself, along with yet another Lynne Truss masterpiece: Talk to the Hand.
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation

by Lynne Truss

From Publishers Weekly
Who would have thought a book about punctuation could cause such a sensation? Certainly not its modest if indignant author, who began her surprise hit motivated by "horror" and "despair" at the current state of British usage: ungrammatical signs ("BOB,S PETS"), headlines ("DEAD SONS PHOTOS MAY BE RELEASED") and band names ("Hear'Say") drove journalist and novelist Truss absolutely batty. But this spirited and wittily instructional little volume, which was a U.K. #1 bestseller, is not a grammar book, Truss insists; like a self-help volume, it "gives you permission to love punctuation."

Amazon Price: $9.60 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

P 

plexomania
Pron: plex-o-may-nee-uh
The sinking feeling that you've forgotten to check updates on all your Squidoo groups.
See also: calamamania

pralgon (n.)
Pron: prahl-gawn
An unstable subatomic particle of the lepton family that randomly binds with passing electrons to derail a train of thought.

Q 

quagoneer
Pron: kwa-goh-neer
Individual with great skill at leading swamp buggies through difficult terrain.

quiliberation
Pron: kwuh-lih-buh-ray-shun
The act of waffling between two points of view without commiting fully to either.

The Elephants of Style 

A Strunk & Whites Elements of Style is an absolute essential for every bookshelf, unless you have a sense of humor. That being the case, go with someone whose writing mannerisms cover topics like Actually is the New Like, and laugh while you learn.
The Elephants of Style : A Trunkload of Tips on the Big Issues and Gray Areas of Contemporary American English

The Elephants of Style : A Trunkload of Tips on the Big Issues and Gray Areas of Contemporary American English

by Bill Walsh

Persnickety, cantankerous, opinionated, entertaining, hilarious, wise...these are a few of the adjectives reviewers used to describe good-writing maven Bill Walsh's previous book, Lapsing Into a Comma. Now, picking up where he left off in Lapsing, Walsh addresses the dozen or so biggest issues that every writer or editor must master.

Amazon Price: $10.46 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

R 

raspiculous (adj.)
Pron: rah-spih-kew-luhs
Describing concept that refuses to die despite its faulty logic.

S 

schadengrint
Pron: shah-duhn-grihnt
Barely audible laughter over another's misfortune.

scritoon
Pron: skrih-tewn
A container for wadded and chewed up bits of paper mash.

Real Live Not-Made-Up Words 

courtsey of Dictionary.com

Hearty thankingsyou to Lensmistress quippingqueen for reminding me that real words have a place in our lensalicous environment!

cavil: Dictionary.com Word of the Day

The Grouchy Grammarian 

This should be requred reading for every newspaper editor, every journalist, every television broadcaster (including sports commentators). The very first sentence sets the tone and holds up the promise of a rolicking read: 'The grouchy grammarian instructed me to tell you at the beginning that he can't teach anybody every individual thing and neither can I, but we can "damn well" try to hound you into THINKING.'
The Grouchy Grammarian: A How-Not-To Guide to the 47 Most Common Mistakes in English Made by Journalists, Broadcasters, and Others Who Should Know Better

The Grouchy Grammarian: A How-Not-To Guide to the 47 Most Common Mistakes in English Made by Journalists, Broadcasters, and Others Who Should Know Better

by Thomas Parrish

Some of the most prominent professionals in TV broadcasting and at major newspapers and magazines-people who really should know better-are guilty of making all-too-common grammatical errors. In this delightfully amusing, clever guide, Thomas Parrish points out real-life grammar gaffes from top-notch publications such as the New York Times and the New Yorker to illustrate just how widespread these errors are.

Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

T 

telemultation
Pron: teh-leh-mul-tay-shun
The act of sending an exact replica of oneself via transporter.

transentimentalism
Pron: tran-sen-tih-men-tuh-lihsm
Inexplicable yearning for 'the good old days' by those too young to have experienced them.

trumblador
Pron: trum-blah-dohr
Troubador with trumpet.

U 

ulquidic
Pron: uhl-kwih-dik
Exhausted state experienced as a result of spending all night working on Squidoo lenses.

umbridigation
Pron: uhm-brih-dih-gay-shun
The act of getting someone else angry about something so you can calm down.

V 

velocerite
Pron: veh-lah-suh-ryt
A usually inanimate object pickng up speed as it approaches you or your car.

A Word A Day 

If you're so desperate for words that you find yourself driven to make up your own, you'll find some solace in this great little paperback. Take a moment and read through the reviews on their page.
A Word A Day: A Romp Through Some of the Most Unusual and Intriguing Words in English

A Word A Day: A Romp Through Some of the Most Unusual and Intriguing Words in English

by Anu Garg, Stuti Garg

By David Thomson "Second Rate Eric Hoffer Imitator" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Anu Garg dreams of a "society (that) will replace guns with dictionaries." This utopian hope is unfortunately not likely to ever occur. Nonetheless, the author of this "romp through some of the most unusual and intriguing words in English" is doing his utmost to make the world a better place.

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

W 

wackutorial
Pron: wah-kew-toh-re-ul
Unintelligible operating or assembly instructions.

wegglish (adj.)
Pron: wehg-lish
To describe the instability of four-inch heels on four-year-old feet playing dress-up in mom's shoes.

wipperlatte
Pron: wih-pur-lah-teh
The one person in the office who invariably gets sent for coffee.

X 

xyzzynophobia
Pron: eks-wy-zee-zee-wy-noh-foe-bee-yah
Fear of someone guessing your age by testing you for recognition of archaic gaming terms.

2107 Curious Word Origins, Sayings and Expressions 

from White Elephants to Song Dance

You know where the weird words on this page came from - as I told you, I made them up, and I highly encourage you to do the same and post them here. This way we'll know the precise origins of the words we invent. But there's even more fun to be had, as this great book (a collection, actually) brings to the surface the origins of real words and phrases. Not that our own made-up ones aren't real...
2107 Curious Word Origins, Sayings and Expressions from White Elephants to Song Dance

2107 Curious Word Origins, Sayings and Expressions from White Elephants to Song Dance

by Charles Earle Funk

Why do people "take 40 winks" and not 50...or 60, or 70? Did someone literally "let the cat out of the bag" at one point in time? Has anyone actually "gone on a wild goose chase"? Find out the answers to these questions and many more in this enormous collection, comprised of four bestselling titles: A Hog on Ice, Thereby Hangs a Tale, Heavens to Betsy! and Horsefeathers and Other Curious Words.

Amazon Price: (as of 05/12/2008)

 

Y 

yarmaroo
Pron: yahr-mah-roo
Cat-like fur-covered marsupial bred for shearing and wool production, Also, high pitched argument between rival bloggers.

Z 

zomolanthic (adj.)
Pron: zoh-moh-lan-thic
State of exhaustion which prevents one from getting up on Saturday morning until the cartoons are over.

Loose Cannons, Red Herrings and Other Lost Metaphors 

If you're a bit bent out of shape with someone mixing up your metaphors, curious about just where the term 'aftermath' came from, or merely have the sort of insatiable curiosity that drives you to inhale every bit of fun fact you can find, this is the book for you. Consider taking advantage of their "order this with Common Phrases' and get twice the metaphors for a lower price! How can you possibly go wrong with that!?
Loose Cannons, Red Herrings, and Other Lost Metaphors

Loose Cannons, Red Herrings, and Other Lost Metaphors

by Robert Claiborne

A colorful compendium of everyday words and phrases and where they originated. The English language is a treasury of splendid mysteries, among them the many words and phrases whose origins we no longer know. Often the original meaning was literal, pertaining to forgotten objects or activities-such as "aftermath," which once meant the grass that sprang up after a farmer had mowed a field.

Amazon Price: $11.21 (as of 05/12/2008)

 

Results! 

Results are always good...

Here are the results of the prior REAL or MADE UP queries. Did you guess right? Only you can tell for sure, confidential as these things remain.
  • draxinian - FAKE - 66% of you were right
  • melopolomia - FAKE - 22% of you were correct
  • shalificate - FAKE - 66% of you were right on the mark
  • trifurcate - REAL - 88% of you were correect

Having Fun? You Can Bet WE Are... 

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Want More Polls of Real vs Made-Up? 

'cuz I can make up a LOT more words...

The first four REAL vs MADE-UP polls are 'closed'. Well, I posted the answers so there's not much point of voting, is there?

So, time for the hard question...

Loading poll. Please Wait...

 

Leave a Scratchin'! 

Let me know what you think of your new vocabulary
additions.
Or what you don't like..
Or just wave as you race on by!
Hate it? Love it? Can't live without it?
One way or the other or the otherer, please smack a rating click into place.
And thanks for swinging by and grokking the frimframitization.
-=-=-=-

BFuniv.com

I feel compelled to to be clever, and for once I'm at a loss for words. I'm so intergaspered.

Posted May 09, 2008
Joie

Caseyfern, I've been having a blast going through this crazy page! Back in the 80's, there was an incredibly popular little book called "Sniglets" with the same premise. Here's a link to a page honoring Rich Hall, the author: http://www.alphadictionary.com/fun/sniglets.html. Bert Christiansen has an amazing collection of his own: http://bertc.com/sniglets.htm.

I've always been crazy about words and their origins, and inventing new, hysterical ones is SO much fun! A very well-earned five stars for the gift of laughter!

Still giggling,
Joie

Posted May 07, 2008
Margaret_Schaut

Delighted that you are in the Masterpiece Movement group! Fabulous, funny, memorable! Wonderful!

Posted May 05, 2008
teeray

"miniscruel" - my favourite word today. I'll be back again to pick another once I get miniscruel into the common lin