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.
Spearaphrase
Created by: bookowl
Pronunciation: speer/ah/fraze
Sentence: To spearaphrase is a sure fire way to mangle it.
Etymology: spear + paraphrase
Plagiareyes
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: diss sin tax
Sentence: Hillary & Barack had verbally jousted in every state so far that they had been campaigning. They each had spies in the other's camp and would get a drift of the other's speech ideas before that speech was given. In this way, one could scoop the opponent's theme and words and leave the second presenter scrambling to come up with something else. Invariably, each would dysyntacks the other's words to the point that they made nonsensical rhetoric, which confused voters even more. Although guilty of it herself, Hillary decided to play Barack at his own game and threw the word dysyntacks into her next speech. She had the last laugh when Barack got up and announced a plan to eliminate the Dissin' Tax from the federal budget!
Etymology: Dysfunctional (failing to serve an adjustive or conducive to adjustment purpose) + Syntax (the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences) + Attacks ( take the initiative and go on the offensive) + Tax (make a charge against or accuse)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
I guess I cancelled the wrong word...Should read Dysyntacks, Oops! - Nosila, 2008-04-25: 01:11:00
Great punchline on your story though! - Tigger, 2008-04-25: 02:29:00
Betcha Hilary would talk about "sintax" when Bill's around! - OZZIEBOB, 2008-04-26: 19:02:00
----------------------------
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)
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)
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
Replistate
Created by: Mustang
Pronunciation: REP - li - stait
Sentence: When Angeline would hear an opinon or a phrase she admired she would shamelessly replistate it in conversations with others and would try to give the impression that it was an original representation.
Etymology: Blend of state and replicate.
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
clever - Jabberwocky, 2008-04-25: 09:26:00
Let's face it, the primaries go by one replistate after another...Cheers, Mustang - Nosila, 2008-04-25: 22:16:00
Ohh, good one. - Tigger, 2008-04-26: 13:24:00
Nice word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-04-26: 18:54:00
----------------------------
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)
----------------------------
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
----------------------------
Spielsteal
Created by: donlyn
Pronunciation:
Sentence: Ken and Boris were both spielsteal culprits so which ones speech was worth listening to.
Etymology:
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Good word. - OZZIEBOB, 2008-04-26: 18:55:00
----------------------------
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
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)
Comments:
OZZIEBOB - 2008-04-25: 18:41:00
Very formal political term. Love " The Butcher of Cavil."