This week’s accidental theme is, well, accidents. Specifically, accidents related to Scotland, traffic, lips, aging, feet, and, of course, words. |
Words Spied |
ajockalypse n. The alleged political chaos that would ensue should the Scottish National Party win a large number of seats in a United Kingdom election (apocalypse + Jock [Scottish variation of the name John]). [Politico]
crashless adj. Incapable of getting in an accident, particularly due to the use of technology designed to prevent or avoid crashes. [Men’s Journal] lipthinking n. Thinking out loud. [Twitter] zenosyne n. The sense that time speeds up as we get older. [The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows] |
Word of the Week |
pedal error n. Pressing the wrong pedal while driving, particularly when this results in an accident.
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Cruft* of the Week |
stuplime adj. Inane or silly to the point of transcendence (stupid + sublime). [Slate] * “Poorly built, possibly over-complex; generally unpleasant” —The Jargon File. |
Quick Links |
5 language arguments you can stop having
10 Phrases That Come From Horse Racing Cutthroat compounds in English morphology English language is changing faster than ever, research reveals The Rise of Emoji on Instagram Is Causing Language Repercussions |
Close Quote |
Far from being vulgar or frivolous or both, wordplay is a complex literary device permitting a richer response to language. Skillfully deployed, the pun does not bandy words, but bandages together (it arises, after all, from a linguistic accident) disparate meanings. Its vivacious, sometimes pugnacious presence warns the reader against taking the text at face value.
—Gary Egan, Verbatim |
Word Spy Blog
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