OT: Lame Words

[Beardedone]

I've been told by a native speaker of Serbian that in Srpski the general term for us mustelids (skunks, ferrets, etc.) is "smrdavac" (pronounced something like SMUR-d'vats). That's a pretty good word.

Meffy
довиђења!

Wonderful. See! This is why Squids is a genius.

[Squids]

utilize -- ugh, I hate that word... I did a lot of copyediting in a previous life, and changed every single instance of it to "use." To utilize is to use an item for something other than its intended purpose... I've yet to see anyone actually use it properly.

incent
disseminate
facile
sherbet (really needs another R)
homogenize
crotch
loin
fungible
sieve
arrears
squat

These are excellent. I can see you fully get it. Loins is one of the worste! Utlize is a lame one.

Here's another in that same sort of "ute" family:

cuticle - just horrible

[Sicklecell666]

One word that grates my brain to hear is:

Copacetic

Goddamn I hate that f$@#%ng word!!



Another is that Jewish word:

Vaclempt

[Meffy]

Sickle, don't have a

conniption

;->

Meffy

[Squids]

Hey dave solenoid is well like you know... piles.

Sough is a light wind in the trees. Think how it waould sound in certain context like man the Sough really is blowing over there.

Oleander is cool but still weird. More like a given name than a noun.

Those seem like cool esoteric words to me. We're talking about words you hear that make you cringe (and cringe is even one of them potentially!). Words that make your vocab diverse can often be colorful and GREAT! I mean, this is just my opinion of course.

But, a word like STENCIL is just bad bad bad! Stencil? We already have Pencil (which is suspect itself). But, to have one that sounds almost just like it but means something that doesn't sound like what the word is....well, that's lame.

However, there are different levels. So, I might as well let you guys in on the rating system we've been using. Basically you have 1-100 and 100 is as lame as it possibly can be. There's never really been a hundred. But if it is REALLY bad it is in the 90's. 80's is pretty bad. 70's is fairly bad (like Stencil...although that could be in the low 80's) and then 60's would be debatable and 50's is sort of "that's not really THAT bad". I've never seen anything go below 50 or it wouldn't really be lame so I guess the rating is really from 50-100 for whatever reason. This is just what I am used to.

So, if you want to comment on anyone's word feel free to use a rating number. Like this: "Stencil? I'd give that an 82". It would be easier with just 10 levels but the finer points give room for another word to be an 89.

Here's one that is definitely in the high 90's though. Just to give an idea. PUBIS. As in "pubis bone". This is WAY up there because as it is "Pubic" is in the high 80's as a lame word. But, anything like "Hospice" or "Pubis" where it is close to another lame word but has a REALLY unwanted and uncomfortable changed sound to it is potential 90's lame word material.

Do you know what I mean? The difference between Pubic and Pubis and why Pubis is so much more incredibly aweful?

Who came up with these words anyway????!!!!!! (couldn't they think of something better? ).

[Meffy]

Yiddish is rich in words with comical sound. (I loooove Yiddish! Reminds me of childhood.) But I hesitate to call them lame, because they're powerful words.

How about:

schtick
schnook
schlemiel
schlimazel
schlump
schnorrer
chutzpah
knish
kvitch
kvetch

... just for starters. There is a wonderful gradation of meaning here, and a fine sense of roles. For instance, the schlemiel is the guy who sets the bucket of water up on the door, and the guy who opens the door is the schlimazel. To kvetch is to complain or nag, but to kvitch is to let out a yelp of surprise or sudden pain.

Think I got those right. If not I can always consult Leo Rosten's classic book, "The JOYS of Yiddish."

Meffy

[jens]

schtick
schnook
schlemiel
schlimazel
schlump
schnorrer
chutzpah
knish
kvitch
kvetch

[Meffy]

Squids, having read your refinement of the idea of lameness, I venture:

frump
clot
blanch
lout
peerage
rumpled
futtock
snath
brunt
bruit
flense (or flench)
gonfalon
bloke

Some of these can be incorrectly divided (pee rage, rump led). Others sound rude or ugly all by themselves. Some are just obscure enough that few know what they mean (snath = handle for a scythe; flense = to cut up blubber). Hope that contributes some lameness. :-) I kind of "get it" but suspect that each person will have his or her own criteria of lameness.

[edit] Rude, or if you prefer

titillating

[Squids]

Right, well there are funny words that are colorful. They're not lame just because they sound strange like that. If they are fun and expressive then that's great! If they are annoying then they can be lame just like any other word.

I have to say that I never even thought how cool it would be to hear about words in other languages that people think are lame there too. That's interesting, especially if it is being judged for the same sort of relative criticisms as the lame words we've all come up with. Also, I didn't know there would be this many people participating in a thread such as this so thanks! I am glad I brought it up. A nice change.

Anyway, here's some more (forgive the spelling- ironically difficulty of how to spell it counts toward a lame word too):

shingles
rigor mortis
cadaver
catharsis
vericose and veins
nougat
acne
period
pants

However, I have to say that "Loins" is perhaps a 98. It's horrid!

[Squids]

Squids, having read your refinement of the idea of lameness, I venture:

frump
clot
blanch
lout
peerage
rumpled
futtock
snath
brunt
bruit
flense (or flench)
gonfalon
bloke

Some of these can be incorrectly divided (pee rage, rump led). Others sound rude or ugly all by themselves. Some are just obscure enough that few know what they mean (snath = handle for a scythe; flense = to cut up blubber). Hope that contributes some lameness. I kind of "get it" but suspect that each person will have his or her own criteria of lameness.

[edit] Rude, or if you prefer

titillating

Of course when I say "get it" I only mean the criteria of what lame covers at least from the standpoint of having to say why it is lame and most people agreeing. If we ever do that lame word web site then people could rate the word and then if everyone gave it a 90 then it would be lame and that's all there is to it!

You're getting some real good ones. Clot is a FABULOUS lame word and actually is one of the few that I haven't said to one of my best friends who I play in a band with and we do this on breaks to keep ourselves entertained. So, if you don't mind I am going to use "clot" as my next word. "Blood clot". Great one! 97

[Beardedone]

How about:

schtick
schnook
schlemiel
schlimazel
schlump
schnorrer
chutzpah
knish
kvitch
kvetch

Definitely not lame! Check this out.

http://www.vidlit.com/yidlit/yidlit.html

[Beardedone]

A word is lame in my book if it is resundant and foolish in normal use. Sough is good example, it is only of use for when searching for a word for breeze in the trees that rhymes with chew.

[Meffy]

vericose

Your spelling is

impeccable

;-) ... you got just that one wrong. It's varicose.

If you like loins, have you ever heard George Carlin's "Indian Sergeant" skit? It's his idea of if American Indians had sergeants to get them psyched for battle.

Now, this here is yer loin cloth. Get ta know it. It could save yer life some day.

Okay, knock off the horseplay. I said ta knock off the horseplay! Hey!!! Youse guys playin' wit' that horse! Will ya knock it off?

[Meffy]

Check this out.

http://www.vidlit.com/yidlit/yidlit.html

Gevalt! A blank space, with a puzzle piece and a "missing plug-in" message, yet. Vey is mir... :-D

Meffy the non-Flashy (sorry, but thanks anyhoo)

[Meffy]

Of course when I say "get it" I only mean the criteria of what lame covers at least from the standpoint of having to say why it is lame and most people agreeing.

*nod* I could explain each of these, and will do so if required by local regulations or whim. :-) It would've interrupted the flow of "thought" (or what, in me, passes for thought) though.

If we ever do that lame word web site then people could rate the word and then if everyone gave it a 90 then it would be lame and that's all there is to it! ;)

By all means! Things are a mite frantic just now but soon my schedule will be somewhat clearer.

As for your band breaks: *deep bow* As they say in Spain, "mi grumo es su grumo" (my clot is your clot). You're welcome to it, with my compliments.

Meffy