Vote for the best verboticism.

'I'm sorry can you repeat that? '

DEFINITION: n. A technological innovation that doesn't work as expected because "normal people" can't figure out how to use it. v. To improve something in a way that makes it much harder to use.

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Verboticisms

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You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.

Digitknowitall

Created by: Nosila

Pronunciation: dij it no it all

Sentence: Reggie had bought a fancy new digital radio/alarm clock/coffeemaker/toaster. It was designed to be efficient in the morning by waking him up on time and getting his breakfast ready. His new appliance was a digitknowitall. Great in theory, but he could never get the radio station he liked programmed into it, so he had to listen to newscasts in a foreign language. He could also never program in the correct time...it was always an hour behind or so. The coffee tasted like something you would expect would come out of a new computer and the toast was always burned black. His only consolation was that the smoke detector awoke him if the alarm failed, the coffee was a handy extinguisher for the burnt breakfast offerings and his clock was right twice a day.

Etymology: Digital (of a circuit or device that represents magnitudes in digits) & Know-It-All (a person who thinks/behaves as if they know everything, but usually knows less than you would think on a subject).

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COMMENTS:

LOL! I'm still laughing, ha ha! Thanks! - splendiction, 2009-10-07: 21:44:00

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Regenerrorate

CharlieB

Created by: CharlieB

Pronunciation: re-jen-er-ate

Sentence: Phil Gates's latest update looked ever so flash but also had a tendency to crash the whole system. It was a classic example of some very keen, but slightly over-enthusiastic, egg heads regenerrorating the software.

Etymology: regenerate (to reconstitute in a better form or condition) + error (a mistake, to deviate from accuracy)

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Technotogy

Created by: Osomatic

Pronunciation: teck + not + oh + gee

Sentence: Your hand held may do everything, but if the buttons are too small to use it's really technotogy, wouldn't you say?

Etymology: "Technology" with one letter substituted. See if you can guess which one.

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Vistappointment

Created by: Alchemist

Pronunciation: vis-tah-POYNY-ment

Sentence: That new self-walking dog leash I bought online turned out to be a big Vistappointment. I couldn't even get it configured to my breed, it kept defaulting to "shih tsu". What a rip!

Etymology: Vista (you know) + disappointment

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COMMENTS:

very topical! - galwaywegian, 2007-03-21: 06:43:00

I don't normally appreciate topical verboticisms, but this one actually rolls off the tongue nicely. - Discoveria, 2007-03-21: 08:44:00

for relief of normal verboticism, apply topically...:-) - Alchemist, 2007-03-21: 09:19:00

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Techlessness

Created by: jschrady

Pronunciation: Tek-les-nes

Sentence: Her lack of ability to enter the right pin code, no matter how many times the attendant assisted her, was, frankly, techlessness!

Etymology: Tech- technology Less- having nothing of something Ness- the action

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Darwinalogical

Created by: chercherlalun

Pronunciation: darwin a logical

Sentence:

Etymology:

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Ditzmo

Created by: jedijawa

Pronunciation: ditz-mo

Sentence: The ditzmo was such a complicated bit of electronics that Bobbie didn't even try to figure it out.

Etymology: ditz (a scatterbrain) + gizmo (a mechanical device)

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COMMENTS:

Perfect! - wordmeister, 2007-03-21: 00:42:00

Simple and cute! Love it! - purpleartichokes, 2007-03-21: 04:39:00

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Techillogical

Created by: toadstool57

Pronunciation: tec-ill-logic-al

Sentence: Jills lack of experience using modern technology lead to her techillogical operation of the DVD player she just purchased.

Etymology: technologic/illogical

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COMMENTS:

aly22 so close to perfect, wish I'd thought of: techNILLogical - aly22, 2007-03-21: 16:11:00

erasmus I also thought it looked a bit tetchy which also fits. woo. gets my vote. - erasmus, 2007-03-30: 06:20:00

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Iletdown

Created by: iwasatripwire

Pronunciation: eye-let-down

Sentence: Oh man, that cool new feature turned out to be such an iLetdown.

Etymology: "i" (as in iPod, iPhone, etc) + "let down"

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Stymieware

artr

Created by: artr

Pronunciation: stīmēwər

Sentence: Jerry is proud to own the latest, greatest smart phone. It is apparently smarter than him. Yesterday it automatically downloaded and installed the freshest stymieware. It is supposed to give him all kinds of new state-of-the-art capabilities. He is lucky to figure out how to make a phone call. He tried to text his brother but ended up in a video conference call with some guys in Denmark. It might have been interesting if he understood them.

Etymology: stymie (prevent or hinder the progress of) + software (the programs and other operating information used by a computer)

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Comments:

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2007-03-20: 00:11:00
Today's definition was suggested by erasmus.
Thank you erasmus! ~ James

Verbotomy Verbotomy - 2009-10-07: 00:05:00
Today's definition was suggested by erasmus. Thank you erasmus. ~ James