Looking for words unique to your family
July 29, 2008 5:39 AM Subscribe
Do you have any "family words" - ie ones which would be understood by your family or close friends but not by anybody else?
A little chat-filtery I know but I am interested in getting an idea of just what it is that families need to have unique words for - as well as how they come about. I was prompted to ask by Guardian columnist Simon Hoggart who wrote this:
"A friend in publishing is collecting for a book of family words - the words invented and used by small groups of people, whether friends, relations or colleagues. Take "testiculate", meaning to shout and wave your arms while talking bollocks. One family uses "blish" to mean very weak tea. "Help yourself, but there's only blish left in the pot." In our house slippers are "blips", because that's how our son used to say it when he was a toddler. Any more? I would love to hear them and will pass them on.".
So, if we get a reasonable list, we could pass this on.
A little chat-filtery I know but I am interested in getting an idea of just what it is that families need to have unique words for - as well as how they come about. I was prompted to ask by Guardian columnist Simon Hoggart who wrote this:
"A friend in publishing is collecting for a book of family words - the words invented and used by small groups of people, whether friends, relations or colleagues. Take "testiculate", meaning to shout and wave your arms while talking bollocks. One family uses "blish" to mean very weak tea. "Help yourself, but there's only blish left in the pot." In our house slippers are "blips", because that's how our son used to say it when he was a toddler. Any more? I would love to hear them and will pass them on.".
So, if we get a reasonable list, we could pass this on.
This post was deleted for the following reason: this is really one of those "everyone's answer is right" chatfilter question, but maybe it's suited to bigbigquestion or elsewhere? -- jessamyn
In my family we use the term "magarnagal" (or "magarnagalled" as a verb) for whenever someone acts without thinking or overestimates their ability (especially with comedic results). It came from the old cop tv shows where there is always some renegade cop that the chief is always yelling at for doing something crazy like blowing up a state park to catch a purse theif or something. We started using it when playing the card game 45's when someone way overbid and didn't make their contract by a long shot, but has since spread into other parts of our life.
ie. "Yeah, Amy totally magarnagalled when she tried to do a high dive. That belly flop was awesome though..."
posted by gwenlister at 5:46 AM on July 29, 2008
ie. "Yeah, Amy totally magarnagalled when she tried to do a high dive. That belly flop was awesome though..."
posted by gwenlister at 5:46 AM on July 29, 2008
Doesn't that magarnagal thing come from the Simpsons, and before that from Dirty Harry?
Also, unless we get a byline or a check, I think Simon Hoggart can write his own damn columns.
posted by box at 5:54 AM on July 29, 2008 [2 favorites]
Also, unless we get a byline or a check, I think Simon Hoggart can write his own damn columns.
posted by box at 5:54 AM on July 29, 2008 [2 favorites]
Doesn't that magarnagal thing come from the Simpsons, and before that from Dirty Harry?
probably. :)
posted by gwenlister at 5:57 AM on July 29, 2008
probably. :)
posted by gwenlister at 5:57 AM on July 29, 2008
"Chatfilter" is a word few outside my extended MeFi family understand.
posted by mkultra at 5:58 AM on July 29, 2008 [5 favorites]
posted by mkultra at 5:58 AM on July 29, 2008 [5 favorites]
Oh, lots. My little nuclear family (me/wife/child) has lots. They're mostly really silly, and some of them are bizarre words we've simply coined ourselves.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:03 AM on July 29, 2008
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:03 AM on July 29, 2008
"Amnity". Years ago, my grandfather mispronounced the word "amity", meaning charity. We've used the mispronounciation ever since.
We also like to "anglicize" french words at random. Flower is "flewr", peanut is "ara-chide", grapefruit is "pample-mousse".
posted by LN at 6:03 AM on July 29, 2008
We also like to "anglicize" french words at random. Flower is "flewr", peanut is "ara-chide", grapefruit is "pample-mousse".
posted by LN at 6:03 AM on July 29, 2008
Oh, but I've just now read your [more inside], and I'm sorry to inform that I am not at liberty to disclose these words, terms and utterances. Sorry, but they'd lose their magic, were I to do so.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:05 AM on July 29, 2008
posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:05 AM on July 29, 2008
We always used 'flinge' (to rhyme with 'hinge') for any unidentified flying creature. Especially scary ones that might inflict bites, stings etc. Fairly obvious etymology from contracted/corrupted "flying thing".
posted by Dan Brilliant at 6:07 AM on July 29, 2008
posted by Dan Brilliant at 6:07 AM on July 29, 2008
BTW, rongorongo, nthing everyone else, passing this on is probably not a good idea.
posted by LN at 6:07 AM on July 29, 2008
posted by LN at 6:07 AM on July 29, 2008
Not sure it's unique to our family, but "nunyas", as in, "nun-yas (none of your) damn business"
Q: What's in that private letter you wrote?
A: Nunyas.
posted by jeffrygardner at 6:08 AM on July 29, 2008
Q: What's in that private letter you wrote?
A: Nunyas.
posted by jeffrygardner at 6:08 AM on July 29, 2008
My boyfriend's family uses the word "ibble" which means to make ones self sick by snacking. "Ugh, I ibbled myself on M&Ms".
My sister and I use the word "marmate" to refer to our mother, and to refer to the concept of mothering in general. "You'll be a good marmate some day".
posted by kimdog at 6:09 AM on July 29, 2008
My sister and I use the word "marmate" to refer to our mother, and to refer to the concept of mothering in general. "You'll be a good marmate some day".
posted by kimdog at 6:09 AM on July 29, 2008
My family uses "cheney" to describe an especially noisome bathroom event.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:19 AM on July 29, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 6:19 AM on July 29, 2008 [2 favorites]
Boobariffic - Adj. - Usually describes a clothing item that is low cut or so tight as to show off one's boobs. "That sweater is too boobariffic. Go and change." Used by: self, mother, husband, close friends
Tanfastic - Adj. - Anything cheesily awesome. "That hustle performance was tanfastic" Occasionally used sarcastically to describe anything painful to watch. "That Hustle performance was tanfastic." Used by: self, brother, husband, close friends
Big Boy - N. - Any made up story told as if it were true to fool the listener. Originated from my husband's insistence that a particular mountain along the Appalachian trail was named 'Big Boy'. "That Big Boy about Panera having a bacon flavored bagel really got me good." Used by: Self, husband, close friends
Sasuga - Exclam. - Used to express admiration when someone does something at an expected high level. Borrowed from Japanese. "Sasuga Mark! He always wins at scrabble!" Used by: self, husband, wacky friends
posted by Alison at 6:20 AM on July 29, 2008
Tanfastic - Adj. - Anything cheesily awesome. "That hustle performance was tanfastic" Occasionally used sarcastically to describe anything painful to watch. "That Hustle performance was tanfastic." Used by: self, brother, husband, close friends
Big Boy - N. - Any made up story told as if it were true to fool the listener. Originated from my husband's insistence that a particular mountain along the Appalachian trail was named 'Big Boy'. "That Big Boy about Panera having a bacon flavored bagel really got me good." Used by: Self, husband, close friends
Sasuga - Exclam. - Used to express admiration when someone does something at an expected high level. Borrowed from Japanese. "Sasuga Mark! He always wins at scrabble!" Used by: self, husband, wacky friends
posted by Alison at 6:20 AM on July 29, 2008
All societies invent, adapt and evolve language as they go. A family (or group of coworkers, or really any group of people together, perhaps on a message board) will inevitably do this too.
DTMFA, or this will wendell. This bacon, it vibrates?
I'm only saying there's nothing "family"-special about this. It's what language is.
posted by rokusan at 6:26 AM on July 29, 2008
DTMFA, or this will wendell. This bacon, it vibrates?
I'm only saying there's nothing "family"-special about this. It's what language is.
posted by rokusan at 6:26 AM on July 29, 2008
See also Atlantic Magazine's Word Fugitives (last page of each issue).
posted by belau at 6:27 AM on July 29, 2008
posted by belau at 6:27 AM on July 29, 2008
Ours are mispronunciations by kids. Groast=gross find=fine
Don't eat that chicken, it's groast!
Find then, I won't.
/lame
posted by thilmony at 6:34 AM on July 29, 2008
Don't eat that chicken, it's groast!
Find then, I won't.
/lame
posted by thilmony at 6:34 AM on July 29, 2008
Oh, one more
Don't be a Rybus!
The gross (groast?) kids at my wife's school were names Rybus so it refers to being dirty, gross, yucky.
posted by thilmony at 6:35 AM on July 29, 2008
Don't be a Rybus!
The gross (groast?) kids at my wife's school were names Rybus so it refers to being dirty, gross, yucky.
posted by thilmony at 6:35 AM on July 29, 2008
dubbies = potato chips. This is what I called them as a toddler. There is no singular form of the noun.
swawow (pronounced like swallow with a w in place of the double l) = a verb meaning to thread the worn and favorite corner of one's comfort blanket through the fist, rubbing it against the nose and upper lip with a rotating motion, while sucking the thumb. My sister did this with her blankie.
posted by mds35 at 6:35 AM on July 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
swawow (pronounced like swallow with a w in place of the double l) = a verb meaning to thread the worn and favorite corner of one's comfort blanket through the fist, rubbing it against the nose and upper lip with a rotating motion, while sucking the thumb. My sister did this with her blankie.
posted by mds35 at 6:35 AM on July 29, 2008 [1 favorite]
Response by poster:
BTW, rongorongo, nthing everyone else, passing this on is probably not a good idea.
Thanks. I understand and won't.
posted by rongorongo at 6:36 AM on July 29, 2008
BTW, rongorongo, nthing everyone else, passing this on is probably not a good idea.
Thanks. I understand and won't.
posted by rongorongo at 6:36 AM on July 29, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Ironmouth at 5:46 AM on July 29, 2008