Vote for the best verboticism.

'OMG YGLT Shakespeare'

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.

Create | Read

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.

Scameleon

artr

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)

| Comments and Points

Assimilinguistics

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: ass imm ill in gwist icks

Sentence: his particular brand of assimilinguistics failed to let him blend in with his children's friends.

Etymology: assmilate, linguistics

| Comments and Points

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

| Comments and Points

Mimaccent

erasmus

Created by: erasmus

Pronunciation: mi mac sent

Sentence: Doris was terrible for putting on a mimaccent every time she spoke to someone. Even South Africans thought she was one of them until she said she came from Chawley.

Etymology: from mimic and accent

| Comments and Points

Mimeojargon

Created by: Stevenson0

Pronunciation: mim/ee/uh/jar/gon

Sentence: After spending many hours interviewing high school students, the counsellor's mimeojargon became part of her life and her friends just didn't understand her.

Etymology: mimeograph + jargon

| Comments and Points

Memic

Created by: Buzzardbilly

Pronunciation: ˈmē-mik

Sentence: (n) He was a memic; he easily slid from one manner of speech to another and bonding with each type as individuals by sharing their langauge style without really thinking about it. (BTW, the actual term used for this in communication studies is "vocal matching") (v) His memicked as if he had to talk the same way anyone he spoke with did, but it was endearing as it wasn't a conscious decision on his part.

Etymology: mimic - to attempt to sound like another; emic - cultural study by participating in the culture; and, meme - cultural information (ideas, beliefs, and practices [which I believe would include one's way of speaking]) that spread from person to person much in the way genes spread biological information from person to person.

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

Memic Mia, good word. - Nosila, 2009-10-06: 18:09:00

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Vernaculitis

Created by: Sed8ed

Pronunciation: vern-ack-u-li-tis

Sentence: She suffered from a severe case of vernaculitis after living in the south for so many years.

Etymology:

| Comments and Points

Vernacclimate

swallowedbyafish

Created by: swallowedbyafish

Pronunciation:

Sentence: After a few months he found he had vernacclimated with the locals without even noticing.

Etymology: vernacular + acclimate

----------------------------
COMMENTS:

petaj 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

----------------------------

| Comments and Points

Mirrorator

Created by: galwaywegian

Pronunciation: myrrh oh ray tor

Sentence: The mirrorator's dramatic rise to world renown evaporated as soon as his plane touched down in Nantucket

Etymology: orator mirror

| Comments and Points

Mimiclique

Created by: Mustang

Pronunciation: MIM-ih-clik

Sentence: Without realizing he was doing it, whenever he was around his group of friends Lamar would do his mimiclique routine, subconsciously trying to impress each of them by copying their style of speech.

Etymology: Blend of the words 'mimic' and 'clique'

| Comments and Points

Show All or More...

 

Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-03-20: 00:00:33
Today's definition was suggested by Osomatic.
Thank you Osomatic! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-10-06: 00:14:00
Today's definition was suggested by Osomatic. Thank you Osomatic. ~ James