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'Then we go for the brain!'

DEFINITION: v. To simplify, dramatize and fictionalize scientific knowledge so that it appeals to a general audience. n. A scientific fact, which has been exaggerated and dumbed-down to make it more "interesting".

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Verboticisms

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Tryptostretch

Created by: jajsr

Pronunciation: Trip-toe-str-etch

Sentence: After Thanksgiving dinner, Shawn sat down on the couch and started to doze off. When his nephew, John, asked him why he was so sleepy, Shawn said it was because of the tryptophan in the turkey. Little to Shawn's knowledge, John had just finished watching a special about the "tryptophan myth", and realized Shawn just delievered a classic tryptostretch.

Etymology: Combination of "Trypto" from tryptophan - amino acid in turkey that's 'supposed' to make you sleepy; and "stretch" - an exercise of something beyond ordinary or normal limits - exaggeration.

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Desciencetize

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: de-SCI-ehns-eh-tize

Sentence: Albert was a bit of a dunce where science is concerned but he had a gift for gab so by using a smattering of actual knowledge, sprinkling in an abundance of gibberish and doubletalk he could desciencetize just about any kind of medical or scientific information.

Etymology: A play on the word 'desensitize'

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx BRAVO! Down with pseudoscience! - metrohumanx, 2009-01-30: 00:33:00

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Darwnsagain

Created by: scrabbelicious

Pronunciation: Dar-wins-ag-en

Sentence: Mr. Cox loved his subject so much he strived to get everyone in his ecolony to marvel at every intricate detail of its fabrication. "Ground breaking", he thought, "almost Darwinsagain".

Etymology: Darwin -: Famous Victorian lover of Tortoises and birds with one wing. Win -: to be victorious. Again -: More than once, recurring.

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Xcisefiles

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: X/cise/Files

Sentence: Be sure to watch PBS's latest and greatest scientific adventure yet, in the show all the scientific world is buzzing about 'The XciseFiles' starring David Duchonvy as Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully. In this week's nail biter, with a surprising and shocking ending, the two stars take you on a long, scary and sometimes dangerous journey on how water boils at 100 degrees celcius, turns to steam, then condenses and turns back to rain, or water. Don't miss this week's shocking, suspenseful premier called 'The Water Cycle'.

Etymology: XciseFiles - noun - from EXCISE (to remove, or cut out) + X-FILES (former popular TV show above strange and possible scientific facts and recent movie 'X-Files - I Want to Believe'

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COMMENTS:

terrific sentence - you must be a science teacher - Jabberwocky, 2009-01-30: 11:18:00

I smell an Emmy...good word! - Nosila, 2009-01-30: 17:56:00

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Sugarcover

Created by: elona

Pronunciation:

Sentence: Sugarcovering the effect probiotics have on the human health will make the people believe they need to consume more yoghurt.

Etymology: sugar and cover, for sweetening the facts so they are more easily ingested.

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Simplescieman

Created by: mweinmann

Pronunciation: simpel - sii - man

Sentence: Rufus just published a new book about Brain Surgery. It looks like the simplescieman version with lots of colored pictures, new "easy" words for the anatomy and loads of symbols (arrows, charts and little brains). He is hoping that it will be more understandable and, therefore, appeal to a wider audience. Unfortunately, it is about as educational as a quick game of Operation.

Etymology: Simple Simon + Science >> Simple Simon (a foolish fellow, a simpleton) Science ( the state of knowing : knowledge as distinguished from ignorance or misunderstanding, knowledge or a system of knowledge covering general truths or the operation of general laws)

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COMMENTS:

metrohumanx Simplescieman appeals to my "inner child"...I am a passionate practitioner of DIY surgery. - metrohumanx, 2009-01-30: 01:17:00

Perfect! - kateinkorea, 2009-01-30: 07:11:00

wonderful - Jabberwocky, 2009-01-30: 11:18:00

Easy to say and remember, right on the definition, pun fun humorous, with readily apparent meaning! Simplescieman has it all! Super Duper! - silveryaspen, 2009-01-30: 15:48:00

Said Simplescieman to the Pi(π)man, let me taste your wares, Said the Pieman to Simplescieman, my Pi's aren't round, they're squared! Must be a good word if it is stuck in my head now! - Nosila, 2009-01-30: 17:54:00

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Desciencetize

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: de-SCI-ehns-eh-tize

Sentence: Henry was a bit of a dunce where science is concerned but he had a gift for gab so by using a smattering of actual knowledge, sprinkling in an abundance of gibberish and doubletalk he could desciencetize just about any kind of medical or scientific information.

Etymology: A play on the word 'desensitize'

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Driveldings

Created by: silveryaspen

Pronunciation: drih vul dings

Sentence: On television, the overly-simplified science, dripping with over-the-top sexual inuendo, and ever-so- sneaky subliminal suggestions, that advertisers put in their commercials, insults your intelligence, far more, than it convinces you to buy their products. Commercial breaks are well named, for they certainly break-your-cool with their driveldings. Can anyone stand those half-hour and hour-long driveldings they refer to as infomercials?!!! It's enough to drive your kids to pick up a book and read!

Etymology: DRIVEL, DINGS. DRIVEL - silly talk, often irrelevant or inaccurate talk. On tv, they often try to pass it off as scientific. DINGS - 1) to ring with a high-pitched sound. 2) talk repeatedly

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COMMENTS:

infomercials are terrible but what I find astonishing are the drug adds that end with several minutes of side effects - Jabberwocky, 2009-01-30: 11:22:00

Amen. Equally astonishing is that people still take them knowing those side effects! - silveryaspen, 2009-01-30: 15:38:00

metrohumanx Now I take Dammitol! - metrohumanx, 2009-01-31: 22:49:00

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Disneyse

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: diz neeeeeez

Sentence: He suffered from a wasting Disnease a condition where the evil, dark, shark-like thingies lock the good cells up in the spleen after a sleepover party for polly platelets first trip around the arteries went horribly wrong.

Etymology: Disease, Disney

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COMMENTS:

excellent - Jabberwocky, 2009-01-30: 11:15:00

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Shocumentary

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: shäkyəmentərē

Sentence: Well we’ve lasted through another Sharkweak. Seven days of people ”risking their lives” to show us just how dangerous sharks are. Each shocumentary tried to outdo the other scaring their audience, at least in the promos.

Etymology: shock (a sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience) + documentary (a movie or a television or radio program that provides a factual record or report)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-01-30: 00:01:01
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2009-01-30: 00:09:00
Well put.

metrohumanx metrohumanx - 2009-01-30: 01:18:00
...and thank you for letting me "vent".

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-01-30: 12:11:00
Thank you for venting! Obviously you are very gnawledgeable. ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2010-08-16: 00:40:00
Today's definition was suggested by metrohumanx. Thank you metrohumanx. ~ James