Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To have difficulty recognizing, and correctly interpreting, human facial expressions. n. A person who cannot read faces.
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.
Confround
Created by: Discoveria
Pronunciation: con-FROWND
Sentence: Mick tended to confround around new people, especially when seeing smiles and shocked expressions.
Etymology: confound (to confuse) + frown
Mixpress
Created by: fredini
Pronunciation: Mix-press
Sentence: I thought she liked me, but I must have mixpressed her.
Etymology: mixing +expression
Missedemeanour
Created by: CharlieB
Pronunciation: miss-duh-mean-er
Sentence: As Bill threw his paper aeroplane across the classroom, Mr Smith frowned. Bill mistook his stern expression for one of delight, promptly grinned and set about making an entire air force from his maths text book. He wasn't being naughty, it was just an unfortunate missedemeanour.
Etymology: Missed (failed to notice or understand) + demeanour (facial appearance) + Misdemeanour (misbehaviour)
Sneermiss
Created by: mplsbohemian
Pronunciation: sneer-MIHS
Sentence: Alex sneermissed the girl in the bar, and left befuddled as to why he was drenched in mojito.
Etymology: sneer + miss (to rhyme with near-miss--in this case, it is literally nearly a miss, whereas "near-miss" usually means "near-hit".)
Misvibception
Created by: marinus
Pronunciation: mis-vib-cep-tion
Sentence: In his misvibception, disinterest meant confusion and I was stuck having the longest conversation on Shakespearian etymology I never wanted to have.
Etymology: mistaken, vibes, reception.
Struggrin
Created by: Alchemist
Pronunciation: STRUG-grin
Sentence: Ever since half our team got put on Prozac, I've been struggrin to figger out whether someone is actually smiling, or just reacting to his altered brain chemistry.
Etymology: struggle, grin
Converbal
Created by: Osomatic
Pronunciation: con + verb + ull
Sentence: I used to be converbal enough that I thought a big smile meant "I'm not interested."
Etymology: Like non-verbal, only with "con."
Comments:
Today's definition was inspired by Cory Doctorow's short story "I, Row-Boat", where a sentient, and very sensitive Row-Boat has some difficulty reading a woman's facial expressions. See the full story in Overclocked. Thank you Cory! ~ James
MIENBLIND is very good- and far more cerebral than my entry. Good work, Ozziebob.
MaybeLater_x - 2008-08-19: 19:10:00
Visagenary is also a play on Imaginary, nay?
Today's definition was suggested by doctorow. Thank you doctorow. ~ James
ldikarev - 2012-09-06: 16:44:00
ldikarev - 2012-09-06: 16:45:00
Prosopagnosia -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia Prosopagnosia (Greek: "prosopon" = "face", "agnosia" = "not knowing") is a disorder of fa