Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To adopt other people's words, phrases and linguistic stylings, and then try to make them your own by subtlety altering the syntax. n. A borrowed and butchered phrase
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.
Malaproprietaryism
Created by: Jabberwocky
Pronunciation: mala/pro/pry/i/tary/ism
Sentence: He was nicknamed the "Butcher of Cavil" because of his inappropriate malaproprietaryisms.
Etymology: malapropism (use of a word in mistake dor for one sounding similar) + proprietary (held in private ownership)
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COMMENTS:
Shazam! That's a mouthful. lol - Mustang, 2008-04-25: 07:35:00
It appears you saw right through the butcher's rouge. - stache, 2008-04-25: 08:12:00
Sorry, 'dotes. - stache, 2008-04-25: 08:12:00
OZZIEBOB - 2008-04-25: 18:41:00 Very formal political term. Love " The Butcher of Cavil." - OZZIEBOB, 2008-04-25: 18:43:00
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Speechleech
Created by: verbherder
Pronunciation: speech-leech
Sentence: Don't worry if you can't think of an original answer. There's no need to recreate the tire. Just turn someone else's thought into a speechleech.
Etymology: speech (oral communication) + leech (a person who clings to another for personal gain, esp. without giving anything in return)
Purloinguism
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: purr-loin-gwism
Sentence: Connor had taken neurolinguistic programming one step too far. His affirmations were now littered with purloinguisms developed from his brothers cool way of rapping, and instead of talking himself into a new job as a motivational speaker, his career had taken a tangential path into the hip hop scene.
Etymology: purloin (the practise of stealing knitting patterns) linguistics (a new variation of rap where nothing rhymes) ism (a handy suffix)
Plagiorate
Created by: Raquelle
Pronunciation: Play-jor-ate
Sentence: The oratory competition would be a breeze, thought Michelle, what with her recent discovery of the online archive of speech transcripts. She would simply choose a published one, plagiorate it to suit her topic and present with utmost confidence.
Etymology: Plagiarism + Orate = to plagiarise one's oration
Termbezzle
Created by: Jamagra
Pronunciation: term/bezz'/el
Sentence: It isn't a puzzle, to those who can't juggle the fairer forms of speech. Why create a new phrase for what your candidate says? Termbezzle for words out of reach!
Etymology: termbezzle (v) - term + embezzle - could apply to stealing a word, a phrase, or an entire election! termbezzlement (n)
Robscuranto
Created by: OZZIEBOB
Pronunciation: ruhb-skyoor-RAHN-to
Sentence: The robscuranto and gabyrinth of the late Joh Bjelke-Petersen, Queensland premier from 1968 to 1987, famous for his unique mangling of the English language, was very effective in fobbing off journalists with irrelevant non-answers in a performance he called "feeding the chooks." Of two political opponents, he said: " You can push a 44-gallon drum of molasses up a hill easier than you can push those two fellas." Other bjelkisms, include: "If you fly with crows, look like the crows, you'll be shot with the crows" or something to that robscurantic effect.
Etymology: Blend of ROB: Steal, take, borrow; OBSCURE: to render or make difficult unclear, difficult to understand, unintelligible; (R)ANTO of Esperanto; and OBSCURANTO:the jargon and acronymese of large bodies, such as the UN. Indeed, many critics of Esperanto claimed that Zamenhof took perfectly good words from Latin, French, German and English and render them obscure and unrecognizable. Furthermore, it is often said, that he filled his language with unnecessary grammatical forms and confusing syntax.
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COMMENTS:
That's funnier than a one-legged well digger. - stache, 2008-04-25: 08:09:00
terrific word - Jabberwocky, 2008-04-25: 09:24:00
G'Day, "You can't keep a good man down" from Muriel's Wedding! or "A life lived infear is a life half lived" from "Strictly Ballroom". Cheers, Mate! - Nosila, 2008-04-25: 22:20:00
On the topic of condoms Joh said "We don't want any of that sort of thing up here." in Queensland.
- petaj, 2008-04-26: 03:16:00
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Spearaphrase
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: speer/ah/fraze
Sentence: To spearaphrase is a sure fire way to mangle it.
Etymology: spear + paraphrase
Malapropriate
Created by: Alchemist
Pronunciation: mal-uh-PRO-pree-ate
Sentence: Sensing an opening, McClain fixed his opponent with a glittering gaze. Overeager, he leaned over the podium and malapropriated the oft-misquoted Benson zinger, spouting, "You, sir, are no Dead Kennedy!"
Etymology: malaprop, appropriate
Kleptoclintonism
Created by: green
Pronunciation:
Sentence: 'Yes she can' is just one example of ballsy kleptoclintonism. Hillary thinks voters are so dumb we don't recognize her light-fingered mouth.
Etymology: kleptomaniac plus clinton
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COMMENTS:
You could have said five-fingered mouth. (5-fingered discount for those scratching their heads) - arrrteest, 2008-04-25: 19:07:00
Stealing wasn't Bills problem - OZZIEBOB, 2008-04-26: 19:05:00
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Aproproliniator
Created by: frozenpeas42
Pronunciation: a-prop-ro-lin-iator
Sentence: I can't stand that bloody aproproliniator; he sounds like a broken record!
Etymology: to appropriate Lien
Comments:
OZZIEBOB - 2008-04-25: 18:41:00
Very formal political term. Love " The Butcher of Cavil."