Well, the Germans would say...
December 22, 2006 6:25 PM Subscribe
Is there an English word for the feeling one gets while seeing a familiar possession in an alien environment?
For example, last week I spotted the twin of a flowerpot I'd bought at a rummage sale in eighth grade. It's a peculiar feeling combining the sense of a lack of originality and a sort of "wrongness" in seeing something in a place it doesn't belong.
Can we invent a word if there isn't one?
For example, last week I spotted the twin of a flowerpot I'd bought at a rummage sale in eighth grade. It's a peculiar feeling combining the sense of a lack of originality and a sort of "wrongness" in seeing something in a place it doesn't belong.
Can we invent a word if there isn't one?
errrmmm
*inventing*
familiarity dissonance?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:08 PM on December 22, 2006
*inventing*
familiarity dissonance?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 7:08 PM on December 22, 2006
Response by poster: I like "incongruous," but for some reason I want it to have more of the "but that's mine!" feeling incorporated.
"Dissonance" is heading in a good direction.
posted by lauranesson at 7:33 PM on December 22, 2006
"Dissonance" is heading in a good direction.
posted by lauranesson at 7:33 PM on December 22, 2006
I propose d'ailleurs vu.
posted by interrobang at 7:53 PM on December 22, 2006 [2 favorites]
posted by interrobang at 7:53 PM on December 22, 2006 [2 favorites]
Just for the record, I like dirtynumbandelboy's suggestions (insert thumbs-up here).
posted by amyms at 10:04 PM on December 22, 2006
posted by amyms at 10:04 PM on December 22, 2006
OK, it's not reminiscence.
Re-reading the question...
Disreminiscence!
Yeah, that's the ticket.
posted by artdrectr at 11:17 PM on December 22, 2006
Re-reading the question...
Disreminiscence!
Yeah, that's the ticket.
posted by artdrectr at 11:17 PM on December 22, 2006
okay, I am not quite sure if what you are asking about is the meaning of the term you described in your tag but Verfremdungseffekt can mean different things but I'd describe it first and foremost as alienation effect, distancing effect or estrangement effect.
I realize you asked for one word but keep in mind that german works slightly different. while it is perfectly acceptable to combine two words (Verfremdung + Effekt = Verfremdungseffekt), the same cannot be done in english as easily. we prefer keeping words below 24 characters and thus align multiple behind each other.
Disreminiscence
wow. I couldn't find that in wikipedia or m-w. care to explain that one to me?
btw: we're now two art directors in one thread. three makes a sit-in.
posted by krautland at 11:58 PM on December 22, 2006
I realize you asked for one word but keep in mind that german works slightly different. while it is perfectly acceptable to combine two words (Verfremdung + Effekt = Verfremdungseffekt), the same cannot be done in english as easily. we prefer keeping words below 24 characters and thus align multiple behind each other.
Disreminiscence
wow. I couldn't find that in wikipedia or m-w. care to explain that one to me?
btw: we're now two art directors in one thread. three makes a sit-in.
posted by krautland at 11:58 PM on December 22, 2006
argh. someone give me an edit function. my sentences are germanically long.
there is some show on npr where people can call in and suggest new words to be included in the dictionary. I see an opening here.
posted by krautland at 12:00 AM on December 23, 2006
there is some show on npr where people can call in and suggest new words to be included in the dictionary. I see an opening here.
posted by krautland at 12:00 AM on December 23, 2006
Dis- (meaning apart, reversal or removal).
Reminiscence (tending to bring some memory to mind).
= Disreminiscence (the incongruity of a memory)
I made it up. I like the way it sounds. Artistic license 'n all.
(sigh) dirtynumbgargleboy has it way over me.
posted by artdrectr at 1:03 AM on December 23, 2006
Reminiscence (tending to bring some memory to mind).
= Disreminiscence (the incongruity of a memory)
I made it up. I like the way it sounds. Artistic license 'n all.
(sigh) dirtynumbgargleboy has it way over me.
posted by artdrectr at 1:03 AM on December 23, 2006
Best answer: uniqueness fallacy collapse?
("i thought i was the only one who understood / controlled
the context of that item. 'fraid not.")
posted by twistofrhyme at 9:58 AM on December 23, 2006
("i thought i was the only one who understood / controlled
the context of that item. 'fraid not.")
posted by twistofrhyme at 9:58 AM on December 23, 2006
Perhaps not exactly what you meant...but in that situation I'd say "deja vu". If it was more positive (e.g., seeing snack food I only eat on vacation in Mexico at a local convenience store) I'd say nostalgia.
posted by sarahkeebs at 11:25 AM on December 23, 2006
posted by sarahkeebs at 11:25 AM on December 23, 2006
Note the amusing contemporary antonym to déja-vu: vujade.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:41 AM on December 23, 2006
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 11:41 AM on December 23, 2006
Cognitive dissonance isn't exactly right, because that's a incongruity between thoughts or states of thinking. I was thinking derealization, which is a feeling that things around you have changed somehow or are unfamiliar and you don't know why, but that's not quite right either. I'd vote for just plain dissonance.
posted by forensicphd at 12:10 PM on December 23, 2006
posted by forensicphd at 12:10 PM on December 23, 2006
Best answer: disoriented
(also, a one-word description of the flowerpot in your example: heterotopic)
posted by rob511 at 3:07 PM on December 23, 2006
(also, a one-word description of the flowerpot in your example: heterotopic)
posted by rob511 at 3:07 PM on December 23, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
Incongruous: seeming strange or ludicrous through being out of place or unexpected (source: Encarta)
posted by amyms at 6:29 PM on December 22, 2006