Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: v. To unconsciously adopt the vocal mannerisms and linguistic stylings of the people with whom you are speaking. n. A speaker who adopts the vocal mannerisms of their audience.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Imitalk
Created by: Discoveria
Pronunciation: Imm-me-tork
Sentence: The police officer did not take kindly to Simple Simon imitalking. It wasn't his fault that he had such a thick accent, was it guv'nor?
Etymology: Imitate + talk.
Mimidic
Created by: Laala
Pronunciation: The first syllable is stressed.
Sentence:
Etymology: to mimic= to imitate, dicere (latin)= to say
Scameleon
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: skamēlyən
Sentence: A big part of the politician’s popularity is because he is a scameleon. Whatever group he is talking to is the group he is part of. If speaking to blue-collar workers, the sleeves are rolled up and the language a bit rough. A chat with business leaders prompts the three-piece suit and corresponding jargon. When pressed, followers can’t even specify what party he belongs to. He could be a liberal Republican or a moderate Democrat.
Etymology: scam (a dishonest scheme; a fraud) + chameleon (a small slow-moving Old World lizard with a prehensile tail, long extensible tongue, protruding eyes that rotate independently, and a highly developed ability to change color)
Accslident
Created by: petaj
Pronunciation: ack-slide-ent
Sentence: Carrie was the laughing stock of her friends because working in the childcare centre had caused her to accslidently talk like a toddler.
Etymology: accent (vocal styling) + slide (movement) + accident (unplanned, unconscious action)
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COMMENTS:
I like it! - jedijawa, 2007-03-21: 00:31:00
thanks jedijawa - petaj, 2007-03-25: 04:14:00
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Lingwisht
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ling wisht
Sentence: When the hunky French Professor entered the classroom for the first time, his handsome face, charming mannerisms and infectious accent were found very attractive to all the female students. After listening to him lecture for a while, many in the class starting speaking with the same accent. One girl in particular, became seriously influenced by his Continental speech, developed a mad crush on Monsieur and became a lingwisht herself. Ah, no wonder French is a Romance language...
Etymology: Linguist (someone who studies the humanistic study of language and literature) & Wished (prefer to do something;hoped for;invoked upon)
Peerbonics
Created by: toadstool57
Pronunciation: pEEr-bon-ics
Sentence: David aquired a severe case of peerbonics, taking on the speaking mannerisms he picked up in his group of friends.
Etymology: peer, as in friends/ebonics, black english
Chameleunaware
Created by: rikboyee
Pronunciation: cuh-meal-ee-un-ah-wear
Sentence: everyone at the old folks home found it amusing when the young janitor started saying things like 'whippersnapper' and 'in my day'... but even more amusing was that he was totally chameleunaware
Etymology: chameleon, unaware
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COMMENTS:
Nice switcheroo on the typical linguistic ageism. - wordmeister, 2007-03-20: 10:19:00
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Vernacclimate
Created by: swallowedbyafish
Pronunciation:
Sentence: After a few months he found he had vernacclimated with the locals without even noticing.
Etymology: vernacular + acclimate
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COMMENTS:
I think there is a real use for this word - nice one. - petaj, 2007-03-20: 08:46:00
Oooh, I like that one. - jedijawa, 2007-03-20: 09:20:00
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Vernactitude
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: ver nakt itood
Sentence: My Mother has a vernactitude in communicating with others from different ethnic backgrounds. First of all she speaks slower and louder than normal (apparently in her mind this will help them understand her English words better). She uses far more hand language & gestures and throws in foreign words to better describe what she is trying to say. It matters not that the foreign words are not in the language of that person. She recently spoke to a Chinese waiter and after she slowly and loudly told him her order, ended it with "Capeesh,Garçon?"
Etymology: Vernacular (the everyday speech of the people (as distinguished from literary language);a characteristic language of a particular group) & Aptitude (inherent ability)
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COMMENTS:
Good for mum! - splendiction, 2009-10-06: 22:43:00
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Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by Osomatic.
Thank you Osomatic! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by Osomatic. Thank you Osomatic. ~ James