Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To use animal training techniques to improve and direct the behavior of other people. n. A technique which uses the principles of animal training to solve a human behavioral riddle.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Shamu
Created by: Verbotomy
Pronunciation: Sham-moo
Sentence: Shamu the proper noun has become the all-purpose verb in our house. It's shorthand for using the principles of animal training to solve a behavioral riddle. We shamu friends, family, and neighbors. We shamu each other. "Did you just shamu me?" we will ask the other.
Etymology: Shamu is the stage name for the star Orcas (killer whales) at SeaWorld, that inspired the title of Amy Sutherland's book, "What Shamu Taught Me".
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COMMENTS:
The sentence is direct quote from Amy's book where she explains how she has adopted the word. ~ James - Verbotomy, 2008-05-19: 00:15:00
When this happens to me, I feel so Shamused. - Tigger, 2008-05-19: 02:54:00
Very shamutable! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-19: 06:38:00
Yes, if we apply shamu to creativity we get a shamutation. ~ James - Verbotomy, 2008-05-19: 15:46:00
I think it's time for as a serious stuff, what about the science, theory or study of shamu: "Shamulogy" - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-20: 22:26:00
Oops! I think it's time for the serious stuff, what about the science, theory or study of shamu: "Shamulogy" - OZZIEBOB, 2008-05-20: 22:29:00
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Circusitous
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: sir/cus/i/tus
Sentence: I used a circusitous route but the leash worked wonders for keeping the kids in check.
Etymology: circus + circuitous (devious)
Pavlover
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: pav lov er
Sentence: In order to break her husband Ivan of his sock-dropping habits, Anna rewarded him with love in order to get him to respond. She was a pavlover and if he still didn't learn to pick up his socks, she had to become a pavtufflover. But enough about their socks life...
Etymology: Pavlov (Russian physiologist who observed conditioned salivary responses in dogs (1849-1936)) & Lover (a person who loves or is loved)
Folkwhisperer
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: foke whis per er
Sentence: Abby decided to use her skills as a Horse Whisperer on her human family to see if the methods brought the same great results they had with her equine clients. With a large carrot, she approached her son Marvin cautiously, when he was again tying up her phone for hours. She bent close to his open ear, stroked his adolescent face gently and whispered the calming words which had the desired affect:"Get off that darn phone now or I will jam this carrot into your other ear!" At once he hung up and ran for his room. Yes, using Folkwhisperer methods worked every time... it wasn't tough love, but pavlove!
Etymology: folk (people in general)& the horse whisperer (a person who tames and trains horses by gentle methods and speech)
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COMMENTS:
'Pavloved' your story! Too funny! My conditioned response was to LOL... - Tigger, 2008-05-19: 02:49:00
you might not believe it but I didn't read youir sentence before I posted. - stache, 2008-05-19: 13:13:00
I believe you, stache...not the first time great minds have thought alike... - Nosila, 2008-05-19: 16:54:00
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Pavlovpotion
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: pav lov po shun
Sentence: Valentina trained dogs for a living, so it was no surprise that when she wanted her boyfriend, Charlie, to do her bidding, she had a method. She fed him a pavlovpotion and he would do anything for her without question.
Etymology: Pavlov (Russian physiologist who observed conditioned salivary responses in dogs (1849-1936)) & Love Potion (a drink credited with magical power; can make the one who takes it love the one who gave it)
Perpeturate
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: per - PET - yur - ait
Sentence: Using a system of punishments and rewards as she did with her doberman, Miriam attempted to perpeturate the same kinds of desired automatic responses from her boyfriend, Wilmont.
Etymology: Blend of perpetuate, pet, and saturate
Homesticate
Created by: Stevenson0
Pronunciation: hoh/mes/ti/kate
Sentence: In most relationships, the woman has to homesticate the male so he can function in modern society.
Etymology: homo sapiens (the modern species of humans) + domesticate (to tame an animal to live with humans); therefore, homesticate (to tame a human to live with humans)
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COMMENTS:
good play on the human condition.... - mweinmann, 2009-06-30: 08:02:00
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Recwagnition
Created by: Rutilus
Pronunciation: rec-wag-nishun
Sentence: Phoebe loved Max. He was the human equivalent of a pet dog. He was loyal, forgiving and subservient. She could get him to do anything as long as she rewarded him, giving him treats and a little recwagnition for his trouble.
Etymology: recognition - noticing someone/something; wag - movement of dog's tail (associated with contentment)
Crittersuade
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: CRIT-ehr-swayde
Sentence: Using techniques she'd learned as an animal trainer Roseanne often resorted to those methods with people and would try to crittersuade them to do things according to her wishes.
Etymology: Blend of critter and persuade
Petiquette
Created by: mweinmann
Pronunciation: pet - eh - kit
Sentence: Marjorie used petiquette to train her husband to do household chores. If he put the toilet seat down, he got a cookie; when he mowed the lawn, he got some ice cream. Every task had a "payoff" of some type..... She figured that if this worked on the dog, it might work on Charles.
Etymology: pet, etiquette (rules governing socially acceptable behavior)
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COMMENTS:
They don't call it animal husbandry for nothing! Good Word. - Nosila, 2009-06-30: 01:23:00
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Comments:
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's new book "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage". where she reminds us that "People are animals too!", and that "Any interaction is training". Now Amy has invented her own word for this and it's "Shamu", so I have added it today's list of verboticisms! Thanks Amy! ~ James
Today's definition is inspired by Amy Sutherland's book "What Shamu Taught me About Life, Love and Marriage", where she reminds us that "People are animals too!", and that "Any interaction is training". Of course, Amy has invented her own word for this -- "Shamu". Let's see what we come up with now... Thanks Amy! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by amysutherland. Thank you amysutherland. ~ James