word mashups

topic posted Tue, March 4, 2008 - 11:18 AM by  Ms.Dynomite
I find that often when speaking my brain is trying to select from a set of words and can't choose quickly enough, or moves too fast and merges them together in a new concept while no one else got to see that logic train pass by. ;) The result is these kind of word mashups.

Sometimes this goes badly. Like the time I meant to tell a co-worker that he looked nice all dressed up in his suit, but my brain couldn't decide between "spiffy" and "snazzy" and kept bouncing back and forth... spiffy... snazzy... spiffy... snazzy... spiffy... snazzy... and it came out:
"wow, you look spazzy"
*cringes*

Sometimes it results in new words of the onomatopoeia variety or better words to describe the situation. Such as my brain salad concoction that spit out the phrase:
"that's so Orson Wellian"
...not "Orwellian", but the drama of Orson Wells with the futuristic forboding of George Orwell. ;)

Does anyone else have this "problem"? :)
  • Re: word mashups

    Tue, March 4, 2008 - 4:42 PM
    I do this all the time. I think it's a matter of my brain working faster than my mouth can follow.

    One of my favorites is "downposit" - cross between deposit and down payment. This came out once and I guess my brain decided it was nice, so I find myself saying it all the time.

    I also get George Orwell and Orson Wells confused at times. Funny to hear someone else mention it.
  • Re: word mashups

    Wed, March 5, 2008 - 1:56 PM
    "Spiffy" and "snazzy" might have come out as 'sniffy.' Equal cringe?

    How about 'flabby' but still 'fabulous' - 'flabulous'?
    • Re: word mashups

      Wed, March 5, 2008 - 7:35 PM
      Ursh. If someone called me "flabulous," I'd pop them in the eye.

      I like my own semi-mistake of calling an ex-BF "egotestical." I wrote it in my journal while drunk, and only realized the hilarity/genius of it later.
      • Re: word mashups

        Wed, March 5, 2008 - 9:01 PM
        that is genius.
        and yes, I have that problem too. Usually I mix up similar words like the beginning of one, and trying to end with the other. But i can never remember any afterwards.

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