Date: Tue, 16 Jun 1998 03:03:40 EDT
From: "Barry A. Popik"
Subject: NEW YORK magazine's invented words

This is from NEW YORK magazine, 22 June 1998, pages 110-111:

New York Magazine Competition

_Results of Competition 912_, in which you were asked to invent and define
goofy words.

_Report:_ Popular topics: Viagra, Cabdrivers, Elephants (no, I don't either).
Various animals. _Titanic_. Phobias. Particularly pleasing: not only the
clever invented word but the definition with a little pith to it ath well. We
loved these results, and prize-picking was scattershot and difficult. You're
a fine bunch, really. And not a moment too soon, you ask.

_First Prize of two-year subscriptions to NEW YORK to:_
_nincompope_--only pontiff to flunk out of the College of Cardinals. (Names
not included--ed.)
_coughkaesque_--waking up in the morning with a bug.
_rhesuscitation_--method of breathing new life into monkeys.

_Runner-up Prizes of one-year subscriptions to NEW YORK to:_
_babarian_--uncivilized elephant.
_lanaturnover_--girls' reversible sweater.
_chableep_--f[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]#$ing great white wine.

_And Honorable Mention to:_
_pollyannathane_--perpetual finish for cheerywood.
_munifiscent_--the smell of money market funds.
_condoment_--safe spice.
_vinducated_--chose wine expertly.
_minimealist_--gourmet chef.
_soap operatchik_--Party functionary on ALL MY COMRADES.
_marty gras_--Ernest Brognine film festival.
_lazyfaire_--a recliner for watching the financial news.
_virilesimilitude_--what you get when you take Viagra.
_cloudstrophobia_--fear of rain.
_portursanophobia_--fear of being molested by bears while using an outdoor
toilet.
_viagraphobia_--fear of sex in the marketplace.
_uniadversity_--school of hard knocks.
_duluthenasia_--the act of putting an entire Minnesota town to sleep.
_gradualated_--got a B.A. degree after six years.
_ivyprophen_--favorite headache remedy at Yale and Princeton.
_phenobarbiedoll_--plaything dressed in her pharmacist's outfit.

(about 50 more)

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The book which I forgot the title of in the prior posting is ENGLISH
THROUGH THE AGES: FROM OLD ENGLISH TO MODERN-DAY SLANG, A WORD-BY-WORD BIRTH
RECORD OF THOUSANDS OF INTERESTING WORDS by William Brohaugh (1998, hardcover,
586 pages, Writer's Digest Books, $24.99).
It lists many categories and uses the years 1150, 1350, 1470, 1500, 1550,
1600, 1650, 1750, 1800, 1825, 1850, 1875, 1900, 1910, etc. There is an index.
No citations are given. It includes some phrases, but not many. Some of
the dates are off (unusual for a book about word dates!). There's nothing to
show if the word or phrase is regional--or if it's British or American.
The book is an interesting reference, but can hardly be used by itself.
So scan these words, then go to the OED or DARE or RHHDAS, find the works that
use these words, and read the whole work.