Oxford's secret word vault
Thread poster: Mary Stefan
Mary Stefan
Mary Stefan  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 23:48
Italian to English
+ ...
Aug 7, 2010

FYI: http://www.aolnews.com/world/article/unused-but-useful-oxford-english-dictionarys-reject-list/19583886

[Edited at 2010-08-07 03:39 GMT]


 
Jack Doughty
Jack Doughty  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:48
Russian to English
+ ...
In memoriam
He did a good job of lexpionage Aug 7, 2010

I particularly like "vidiot", which describes me very well.

 
Mary Stefan
Mary Stefan  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 23:48
Italian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
- Aug 7, 2010

Jack, I love "nonversation". I wonder how many times a week we carry a nonversation!

 
William [Bill] Gray
William [Bill] Gray  Identity Verified
Norway
Local time: 05:48
Member (2006)
English
+ ...
Oh yes... Aug 7, 2010

... I well remember the "Whinese" in our camper when our six children were younger and we were driving one of our holiday trips to Norway from Northern Ireland (yes, driving the long way: Scotland, England, Holland, Germany, Denmark, and finally Norway as far north as Trondheim!), Incidentally in those days it was still the cheapest way to get here. Now, of course, my wife and I drive "Whineseless", except for when we sometimes have some of our grandchildren in the car with us!!

A
... See more
... I well remember the "Whinese" in our camper when our six children were younger and we were driving one of our holiday trips to Norway from Northern Ireland (yes, driving the long way: Scotland, England, Holland, Germany, Denmark, and finally Norway as far north as Trondheim!), Incidentally in those days it was still the cheapest way to get here. Now, of course, my wife and I drive "Whineseless", except for when we sometimes have some of our grandchildren in the car with us!!

And I CAN identify with "Xenolexica" from some of the surprise translation jobs I have encountered.

Thank you very much Mary for an interesting link
Collapse


 
Paul Stevens
Paul Stevens  Identity Verified
Local time: 04:48
Member (2003)
Spanish to English
+ ...
Tick VG Aug 7, 2010

Thanks a lot for the link, Mary, and, like Bill, I experienced a number of instances of whinese a few years ago when my 2 daughters were younger! I'm going to try to drop as many of these into everyday conversation as I can!!! My personal favourites are probably peppier and onionate.

 
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)
Soonthon LUPKITARO(Ph.D.)  Identity Verified
Thailand
Local time: 10:48
English to Thai
+ ...
Glocalization Aug 7, 2010

I am very happy with this word.

In Thailand, where I am living now, many multi-national firms run business by using both international procedures and local practices toward employees at the same time. I have been suffering for a long time to seek a good word to describe this quasi-globalization business practice. Now I will say "they are glocalizing!"

Best regards,

Soonthon L.


 
William [Bill] Gray
William [Bill] Gray  Identity Verified
Norway
Local time: 05:48
Member (2006)
English
+ ...
May I offer a new one....? Aug 7, 2010

Having not long returned from summer holidays and reflecting on reading this post earlier today, while picking berries in the woods this morning, I thought of this:
"holticipation" = the (somewhat foolish) tendency to begin planning one's next year's holiday immediately after this year's one!


 
Suzan Hamer
Suzan Hamer  Identity Verified
Netherlands
Local time: 05:48
English
+ ...
Wonderful link. May I suggest another one Aug 7, 2010

in a similar vein?
http://www.wordspy.com/diversions/neologisms.asp

And there's also the Washington Post's annual neologism contest:

"Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its
yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings
for common words.
The winners are:
1. Coff
... See more
in a similar vein?
http://www.wordspy.com/diversions/neologisms.asp

And there's also the Washington Post's annual neologism contest:

"Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its
yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings
for common words.
The winners are:
1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.
6. Negligent (adj.),a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your
nightgown.
7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavoured mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul
flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men


The Washington Post's Style Invitational also asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from
penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near
future.
2. Foreploy (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
3. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent
for an indefinite period.
4. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
5. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get
it.
6.. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are runninglate.
7. Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness.
8. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
9. Karmageddon (n): It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right?
And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
10. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that
are good for you.
11. Glibido (v): All talk and no action.
12. Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you
rapidly.
13. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked
through a spider web.
14. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the
morning and cannot be cast out.
15. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.
And the pick of the literature:
16. Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole" http://www.scribd.com/doc/396130/Washington-Post-Neologism-Contest

[Edited at 2010-08-07 12:00 GMT]
Collapse


 
Mary Stefan
Mary Stefan  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 23:48
Italian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Suzan Aug 7, 2010

Suzan Hamer wrote:

in a similar vein?
http://www.wordspy.com/diversions/neologisms.asp

And there's also the Washington Post's annual neologism contest:

"Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its
yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings
for common words.
The winners are:
1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.
6. Negligent (adj.),a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your
nightgown.
7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavoured mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.
13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.
14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.
15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand): The belief that, when you die, your Soul
flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men


The Washington Post's Style Invitational also asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from
penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near
future.
2. Foreploy (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
3. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent
for an indefinite period.
4. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
5. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get
it.
6.. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are runninglate.
7. Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness.
8. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
9. Karmageddon (n): It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right?
And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
10. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that
are good for you.
11. Glibido (v): All talk and no action.
12. Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you
rapidly.
13. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked
through a spider web.
14. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the
morning and cannot be cast out.
15. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.
And the pick of the literature:
16. Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole" http://www.scribd.com/doc/396130/Washington-Post-Neologism-Contest

[Edited at 2010-08-07 12:00 GMT]


Thanks a lot for posting Suzan! LOL

[Edited at 2010-08-07 12:18 GMT]


 
Mary Stefan
Mary Stefan  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 23:48
Italian to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
:) Aug 7, 2010

William [Bill] Gray wrote:

Having not long returned from summer holidays and reflecting on reading this post earlier today, while picking berries in the woods this morning, I thought of this:
"holticipation" = the (somewhat foolish) tendency to begin planning one's next year's holiday immediately after this year's one!



Thou shalt not be blamed! LOL


 
Graham Allen-Rawlings
Graham Allen-Rawlings  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 05:48
Spanish to English
+ ...
The Meaning of Liff Aug 7, 2010

Does anyone remember this book by Douglas Adams (Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and John Lloyd (comedy writer who contributed to Blackadder, Mr. Bean and many other U.K. comedies)? It redefined placenames to describe certain feelings, situations, etc. for which no word exists.


For example:

CORFU (n.)
The dullest person you met during the course of your holiday. Also the only one who failed to understand that the exchanging of addresses at the end of a hol
... See more
Does anyone remember this book by Douglas Adams (Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy) and John Lloyd (comedy writer who contributed to Blackadder, Mr. Bean and many other U.K. comedies)? It redefined placenames to describe certain feelings, situations, etc. for which no word exists.


For example:

CORFU (n.)
The dullest person you met during the course of your holiday. Also the only one who failed to understand that the exchanging of addresses at the end of a holiday is merely a social ritual and is absolutely not an invitation to phone you up and turn up unannounced on your doorstep three months later.


GLOSSOP (n.)
A rouge blob of food. Glossops, which are generally steaming hot and highly adhesive invariably fall off your spoon and on to the surface of your host's highly polished antique-rosewood dining table. If this has not, or may not have, been noticed by the company present, swanage (q.v.) may be employed.


SWANAGE (pl.n.)
Swanage is the series of diversionary tactics used when trying to cover up the existence of a glossop (q.v.) and may include (a) uttering a highpitched laugh and pointing out of the window (NB. this doesn't work more that twice); (b) sneezing as loudly as possible and wiping the glossop off the table in the same movement as whipping out your handkerchief; (c) saying 'Christ! I seem to have dropped some shit on your table' (very unwise); (d) saying 'Christ, who did that?' (better) (e) pressing your elbow on the glossop itself and working your arms slowly to the edge of the table; (f) leaving the glossop where it is but moving a plate over it and putting up with sitting at an uncomfortable angle the rest of the meal; or, if the glossop is in too exposed a position, (g) leaving it there unremarked except for the occasional humorous glance.



You can peruse more at your leisure:
http://folk.uio.no/alied/TMoL.html

[Edited at 2010-08-07 13:16 GMT]
Collapse


 
opolt
opolt  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 05:48
English to German
+ ...
Good find Mary! Aug 7, 2010

Really entertaining, I particularly loved the "smushables", and the "museum head", both of which sounded sooo familiar to me

But I was very surprised to see earworm in the list, which must be a direct translation of the German "Ohrwurm". Because in German, this is an established term which has been in use for decades, with the exact same meaning.


 


To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator:


You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request »

Oxford's secret word vault






CafeTran Espresso
You've never met a CAT tool this clever!

Translate faster & easier, using a sophisticated CAT tool built by a translator / developer. Accept jobs from clients who use Trados, MemoQ, Wordfast & major CAT tools. Download and start using CafeTran Espresso -- for free

Buy now! »
Anycount & Translation Office 3000
Translation Office 3000

Translation Office 3000 is an advanced accounting tool for freelance translators and small agencies. TO3000 easily and seamlessly integrates with the business life of professional freelance translators.

More info »