Vote for the best verboticism.

'OMG YGLT Shakespeare'

DEFINITION: v. To unconsciously adopt the vocal mannerisms and linguistic stylings of the people with whom you are speaking. n. A speaker who adopts the vocal mannerisms of their audience.

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Verboticisms

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Slangadapt

Created by: jonobo

Pronunciation: slangadapt

Sentence: I slangadapted faster than expected, my speech-center got infected, no matter how hard i tried to reject it, so i just neglect it.

Etymology: to adapt the surrounding slang. slang + adapt. simple.

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Apeoplexy

Created by: porsche

Pronunciation: ape/oh/plexi

Sentence: The teacher was felled by a sudden attack of apeoplexy

Etymology: ape (mimic) + apoplexy (sudden loss or impairment)

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Chameleunaware

Created by: rikboyee

Pronunciation: cuh-meal-ee-un-ah-wear

Sentence: everyone at the old folks home found it amusing when the young janitor started saying things like 'whippersnapper' and 'in my day'... but even more amusing was that he was totally chameleunaware

Etymology: chameleon, unaware

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COMMENTS:

Nice switcheroo on the typical linguistic ageism. - wordmeister, 2007-03-20: 10:19:00

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Copychat

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: kop-ee-chat

Sentence: I don't want to say that Tom is feeble-minded but whenever he talks to anybody for more than a few minutes he ends up sounding just like them. This can be embarrassing when he talks to someone with a distinctive voice who thinks they are being mocked. Last week a woman with a pronounced stutter slapped him.

Etymology: copycat (a person or thing that copies, imitates, mimics, or follows the lead of another) + chat (to converse in a familiar or informal manner)

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Dialectick

Created by: Nuwanda

Pronunciation: die-a-leck-tick

Sentence: For most of his life, Joe was able to avoid mishap caused by his dialectick. Growing up in Central Iowa, no one seemed to notice or care much when he affected the speech patterns of a Keokuk-ian or Des Moines-ite. But his dialectick did not serve him well when he got a job at the Starbucks across the street from U.N. headquarters. He was fired after two hours because of complaints that he was taunting the customers.

Etymology: Dialect (dialect n. A regional or social variety of a language distinguished by pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary, especially a variety of speech.) + tic (A habitual spasmodic muscular movement or contraction, usually of the face or extremities)

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Vograbulary

Created by: ShaggE

Pronunciation:

Sentence: "I met this swedish guy today, he thought I was mocking him with my vograbulary."

Etymology: Grab+ Vocabulary.

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Clonilinguist

Created by: Sketchy

Pronunciation: clone-ILL-ling-WIST

Sentence: Mr. Hubbard is a clonilinguist. His mind auotmatically takes on the speech patterns of the people around him.

Etymology: Clone, Linguist

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COMMENTS:

lol...i thought it was clever, but is more of a noun??? - Sketchy, 2007-03-20: 16:49:00

Loving the slightly risque pun here- even if it was unintentional. - Bulletchewer, 2007-03-20: 18:07:00

definitely funny - wordmeister, 2007-03-20: 23:56:00

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Lingwisht

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: ling wisht

Sentence: When the hunky French Professor entered the classroom for the first time, his handsome face, charming mannerisms and infectious accent were found very attractive to all the female students. After listening to him lecture for a while, many in the class starting speaking with the same accent. One girl in particular, became seriously influenced by his Continental speech, developed a mad crush on Monsieur and became a lingwisht herself. Ah, no wonder French is a Romance language...

Etymology: Linguist (someone who studies the humanistic study of language and literature) & Wished (prefer to do something;hoped for;invoked upon)

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Dialecturer

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: dy aa lek tur er

Sentence: When Professor Higgins gave one of his English Literature courses, he always spoke with the accent of the writer. For Burns, he'd burl his r's to sound Scottish;for Shakespeare he spoketh hey nonny nonny in the quaint speech of the time and for Chaucer, he perfected olde English so well, none could understand a word he spaketh. He was a true dialecturer.

Etymology: Dialect (accent, the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people) & Lecturer (someone who lectures professionally, a public lecturer at certain universities)

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Paraphonics

CharlieB

Created by: CharlieB

Pronunciation: para-fon-icks

Sentence: Scientists in the field of paraphonics have found the perfect example of manipulative parodiction: high-profile chef James Olivier and former Prime Minister Tommy Bleurgh both move easily between Estuary English and RP depending on their audience.

Etymology: parody (to imitate poorly or feebly) + phonic (of or pertaining to speech)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-03-20: 00:00:33
Today's definition was suggested by Osomatic.
Thank you Osomatic! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-10-06: 00:14:00
Today's definition was suggested by Osomatic. Thank you Osomatic. ~ James