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'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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Vernactitude

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: ver nakt itood

Sentence: My Mother has a vernactitude in communicating with others from different ethnic backgrounds. First of all she speaks slower and louder than normal (apparently in her mind this will help them understand her English words better). She uses far more hand language & gestures and throws in foreign words to better describe what she is trying to say. It matters not that the foreign words are not in the language of that person. She recently spoke to a Chinese waiter and after she slowly and loudly told him her order, ended it with "Capeesh,Garçon?"

Etymology: Vernacular (the everyday speech of the people (as distinguished from literary language);a characteristic language of a particular group) & Aptitude (inherent ability)

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COMMENTS:

Good for mum! - splendiction, 2009-10-06: 22:43:00

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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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Accentefugue

Created by: Alchemist

Pronunciation: ak-SENT-eh-fyoog

Sentence: Whenever Josh is around Brits, he turns into a helpless accentefugue, peppering his sentences with "luv" "guv" and "quid". Strange, as he has lived his whole life in Brooklyn.

Etymology: accent (pronunciation common to a certain group of people) + fugue (A pathological amnesiac condition during which one is apparently conscious of one's actions but has no recollection of them), with a nod towards accent aigue

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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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Vernaculitis

Created by: Sed8ed

Pronunciation: vern-ack-u-li-tis

Sentence: She suffered from a severe case of vernaculitis after living in the south for so many years.

Etymology:

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Mimaccent

erasmus

Created by: erasmus

Pronunciation: mi mac sent

Sentence: Doris was terrible for putting on a mimaccent every time she spoke to someone. Even South Africans thought she was one of them until she said she came from Chawley.

Etymology: from mimic and accent

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Verbotomime

Created by: jedijawa

Pronunciation: ver-boto-mime

Sentence: Jedijawa tends to unconsciously verbotomime the dialect and accent of people who he talks to for more than 5 minutes unless he tries very hard not to do so.

Etymology: verbotomy (pandering to the board on this one) + mime (to imitate)

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COMMENTS:

Verbotomy Verbotomimicry is the sincerest form of flattery. Thank you! - Verbotomy, 2007-03-20: 10:27:00

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Copychat

Created by: Bulletchewer

Pronunciation: cop-ee-chat

Sentence: Leanne would copychat his posh accent to make her client feel more at ease.

Etymology: From "copy cat" and "chat".

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COMMENTS:

exchatullent word! - wordmeister, 2007-03-20: 10:14:00

You got my vote. Our words seem similarly inspired - great minds... :D - Discoveria, 2007-03-20: 10:31:00

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Idiolectate

Created by: Ahmad

Pronunciation: edeo-lektaet

Sentence: I have never seen such a perfect idiolectate like saim.

Etymology: idiolect = an individual way or style of talking. Imitate = to copy some one or something.so to copy some one's speech the way he/she speaks.

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Memic

Created by: Buzzardbilly

Pronunciation: ˈmē-mik

Sentence: (n) He was a memic; he easily slid from one manner of speech to another and bonding with each type as individuals by sharing their langauge style without really thinking about it. (BTW, the actual term used for this in communication studies is "vocal matching") (v) His memicked as if he had to talk the same way anyone he spoke with did, but it was endearing as it wasn't a conscious decision on his part.

Etymology: mimic - to attempt to sound like another; emic - cultural study by participating in the culture; and, meme - cultural information (ideas, beliefs, and practices [which I believe would include one's way of speaking]) that spread from person to person much in the way genes spread biological information from person to person.

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COMMENTS:

Memic Mia, good word. - Nosila, 2009-10-06: 18:09:00

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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