Vote for the best verboticism.

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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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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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:

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

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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Innocumberance

Created by: PythianHabenero

Pronunciation: in-no-cumber-ants

Sentence: Voice recognition software is universally an innocumberance.

Etymology: "innovation" + "encumberance".

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Stymieware

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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Technotlogical

Created by: mrskellyscl

Pronunciation: tek-not-lodge-ee-call

Sentence: The manual was written in such technotlogical terminology that no one really understood how to actually use the product. Nevertheless, it was a cool piece of technogadgetry and everyone wanted one.

Etymology: technological: relating to or or resulting from technology + not: a logical operator that returns a false value if the operand is true and a true value if the operand is false (whatever that means) + logical: rational, reasonable or sensible

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COMMENTS:

like it - galwaywegian, 2009-10-07: 06:05:00

yes often so true! Good word! - splendiction, 2009-10-07: 21:42:00

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Unnovation

Created by: urbanwookie

Pronunciation: uhn-o-vay-shun

Sentence: After field trials of his latest product design, Geoff quickly realised that adding a cigarette lighter to a diver's watch was an unnovation...

Etymology: a contraction of "un" and "innovation"

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