From Merriam-Webster:
neologism - noun
ne·ol·o·gism | \ nē-ˈä-lə-ˌji-zəm \Definition of neologism
1: a new word, usage, or expression technological neologisms
2psychology : a new word that is coined especially by a person affected with schizophrenia and is meaningless except to the coiner, and is typically a combination of two existing words or a shortening or distortion of an existing word
Here are the examples we read from the article:
1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained.
3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach
4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent
6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightgown
7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp
8. Gargoyle (n.) gross olive-flavored mouthwash
9. Flatulance (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline
11. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologist.
13. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.
14. Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that when you die, you're soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.
If you read these examples and laughed (like everyone I have showed it to today!) then the premise that wacky words make people laugh is true. Laughter gives us distance from the events we all seem to think are imperative to accomplish right now, immediately. The ability to find humor in life is correlated to a healthy body, mind and spirit, it is a full on collaborator. We all get sucked into the busy cycle of life and just forget how a good belly laugh nourishes our soul. When I read the list with a couple of different people yesterday, my soul erupted with pleasure. I suspect my endorphins and dopamine levels had multiplied and a bliss settled in, it was lovely. I equate a good laugh to a mild workout, it exercises my muscles, gets blood flowing and I am certain it does things like decrease blood pressure, reduce stress and boost my immune system.
What does laughter look like?
Now, can you come up with some neologisms for:
- cattwampus
- bumfuzzle
- taradiddle
- collywobbles