mmm@weitek.UUCP (Mark Thorson) (10/16/85)
Most of the following was posted to net.misc two days ago. In response to a
request from a site which does not receive net.misc, it is now being posted to
net.followup (this IS appropriate in that it is a followup to a posting
in net.general). It is also being posted because a letter arrived yesterday
from overseas and I don't wish to exclude anyone. But that was absolutely
the last one. Yesterday's letter is being placed in front of the others,
so that people who have read the earlier posting won't have to wade through
the rest.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
As advertised, the entries in the big contest. The voting period is being
extended by one week to allow time for this message to propagate. Send
in your vote by Oct 28. The award will be sent by Oct 31. Note that only
two people provided a mailing address. One person provided his latitude and
longitude, I suppose he wants to receive the $10 by missle :-)
* * *
From: Sebastian Schmitz <turtlevax!seismo!mcvax!unido!ecrcvax!snoopy>
Organization: European Computer-Industry Research Centre, Munchen, W. Germany
Hello,
here is my proposal for a word. Its actually aword, that my
friends and I use already and its actually fascinating to see
it spread... (i.e. overhearing total strangers using it)
The word is:
grompf. (Pronounced gromph i.e. with a normal f sound and an
open o like in 'hose')
It can be used either as a noun or as a verb.
It means:
food (where it implies large quantities) or (as verb)
to eat ravenously in large bites. We thought of it after
seeing the film "Alien" (obvious isn't it).
As said its already widely used by about 100 people here, in
things like:
"Lets go grompfing" or "I've got to get some grompf", or "I
have grompf" (this really means one is very hungry).
I claim that this is a valid word because it has already
mutated.
A grompferia (like pizzeria) is a fast-food place.
Cargrompf is fuel (food for cars)
Liquidgrompf is something to drink.
This all sounds so insane but it really is true....honest.
Hope it catches on.
Love,
Sebastian (Snoopy)
"You haven't done it, till you've done it with pointers"
* * *
From: turtlevax!spar!sun!calma!smithson (Brian Smithson)
How about "flame", as it is already in wide use on Usenet. I haven't done
any extensive research (OK, I looked in my paperback Webster's New World
here in the office...), but I don't believe that "flame" is defined as
a verb. For that matter, I don't think it is defined as a noun in quite
the way we use it on the 'net.
Go ahead -- flame me if this is a dumb idea. :-)
-Brian Smithson
Calma Company
ucbvax!calma!smithson
calma!smithson@ucbvax.ARPA
* * *
From: turtlevax!spar!ihnp4!oddjob!matt (Matt Crawford)
Phone: +1 312 962-8207
Postal-Address: Astronomy & Astrophysics Center 105
5640 S. Ellis ; Chicago, IL 60637
Organization: U. of Chicago, Astronomy and Astrophysics
OK, here's my entry. I think it is a particularly suitable
word to be introduced to society by a unix-based conspiracy.
"mallocate" : a transitive verb formed from `mal' +
`allocate', meaning to misappropriate
or unwisely allocate a limited resource.
Noun form: "mallocation"
Examples: "Water from the Sacramento river has been
mallocated to Los Angeles."
"I feel that the SDI is a terrible mal-
location of our research budget."
_____________________________________________________
Matt University crawford@anl-mcs.arpa
Crawford of Chicago ihnp4!oddjob!matt
* * *
From: turtlevax!seismo!enea!erix!joe (Joe Armstrong)
Organization: L M Ericsson, Stockholm, Sweden
My word is EVA it means Elshiewy-Virding-Armstrong because we want to be
famous.
-- Joe Arstrong
* * *
From: turtlevax!seismo!enea!kuling!andersa (Anders Andersson)
Organization: Uppsala University, Sweden
My suggestion for a brand new word in the English language is an adjective:
LAUGOM - of a rather reasonable value, size, number, intensity etc.
I know of no current English word with this meaning - it should express that
something is neither too big nor too small, that it has no extreme property
whatsoever. "Laugom" might be the opposite of "extreme", perhaps.
- Was the bus crowded with people when you went to work this morning,
or was it empty?
- Neither, there was a laugom number of passengers.
- Hello son, did you have a warm weekend in the mountains (or were
you freezing)?
- Oh, it was simply laugom!
(Maybe silly examples, but what should I say then?)
About pronounciation: Say it as you think it sounds best. I shouldn't give
too much advice here, as English is not my native language, but maybe
something like "law-gom"..?
Together with this word comes an adverb "laugomly" - a laugomly difficult
exercise, maybe? Sorry for this rather long description, but I thought it
might be useful in order to give you my idea of what I mean with the
one-liner above. If you prefer it shorter, just cut out that single line.
--
Anders Andersson, Dept. of Computer Systems, Uppsala University, Sweden
Phone: +46 18 183173
UUCP: andersa@kuling.UUCP (...!{seismo,mcvax}!enea!kuling!andersa)
* * *
From: <cae780!hplabs!hpfcla!ajs>
I propose we get the word "meme" into wide usage. Meme is word invented
by biologist Richard Dawkins in "The Selfish Gene". Memes are the units
of the living system of society and culture. Analogous to genes, they are
the "immortal", mutable, elements which parasitize our brains and form the
basis of our language, culture, concepts, and continuity.
Why "meme"? Because it's a powerful concept, a new way to look at the
world. It's self-referent. It has parasitized my brain very strongly and
now wants to leap to yours and everyone else's. ("All living things evolve
by the differential survival of replicating entities." -- Dawkins)
Thanks,
Alan Silverstein, Hewlett-Packard Fort Collins Systems Division, Colorado
{ihnp4 | hplabs}!hpfcla!ajs, 303-226-3800 x3053, N 40 31'31" W 105 00'43"
* * *
From: D I Spencer <turtlevax!seismo!mcvax!warwick!maugg>
Organization: Maths inst, Univ. of Warwick, UK
Kentucky :- fitting snugly and exactly. For example that book which fits
into the bookshelf without leaving any more space but which
doesn't need to be forced would be said to fit
'Real nice and kentucky'
Quoted (nearly) from memory from 'The meaning of liff' by Douglas Adams
*not* a typo err ^
+-------------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Douglas Spencer | { lots of places in America } |
| Maths Institute | !seismo!mcvax!ukc!warwick!daisy!maugg |
| University of Warwick |------------------------------------------|
| Coventry CV4 7AL | If necessary I can also be contacted |
| England | easily by any competent telepath :-) |
+-------------------------+------------------------------------------+
* * *
From: Bob Larson <turtlevax!hplabs!sdcrdcf!oberon!blarson>
Organization: U of Southern CA, Computer Services, Los Angeles
Cc:
The word: :-) Meaning: Intivly obvious. :-)
--
Bob Larson
Arpa: Blarson@Usc-Ecl.Arpa
Uucp: {the (mostly unknown) world}!ihnp4!sdcrdcf!oberon!blarson
{several select chunks}!sdcrdcf!oberon!blarson
* * *
From: turtlevax!seismo!allegra!alice!ark
How about
humongoloid
meaning big and stupid?
* * *
From: turtlevax!seismo!ut-sally!kvue!spangler
Posted-Date: Wed, 2 Oct 85 23:53:24 cdt
id AA09449; Wed, 2 Oct 85 23:53:24 cdt
Organization: KVUE-TV, Austin
Boy, am I sorry to see the Cheese Triscuit conspiracy die as quickly
as it was brought to life. Being a closet anarchist, I thought it was
a great idea.
But on to bigger and better things. The best possible work you could
add to the english language is ---------
PREPTILE
A PREPTILE is a species of life which is closely related to the reptile,
except it's slightly lower on the evolutionary ladder. Here in Austin,
home of the University of Texas, most PREPTILES live in an area refered
to as "west campus". Interestingly enough, there are a lot of frat and
sorority houses in the neighborhood, as well as condo's that rich fathers
purchase for tax writeoffs. PREPTILES are seen every night migrating to
the south (it differs according to the lay of the land) toward the Colorado
of trendy fern bars called 6th street for their liquid refreshment.
The PREPTILE can usually be identified by a conservative haircut, as well
as a picture of the higher species (reptile) on their shirt. Recently
some PREPTILES have mutated and have pictures of polo ponies, whales, ect
on their shirt. It's suspected this is protective coloration. Further,
the up and coming PREPTILE no longer uses it's appendages to walk. Instead
they have taken to supporting the German economy by driving BMW's, Mercedes,
and the like.
One other word for consideration:
VIDIOT
A VIDIOT is another low species that spends hours plugged into the tube.
Most VIDIOTS can recite the Television listings by heart. A true VIDIOT
is identified by a strange mechanical device which has grown into the flesh
of his hand. Most times, this device resembles a television remote control,
although there are documented cases of beer cans mutating into the arm.
When the television breaks, a VIDIOT may try to get his or her fix by playing
computer games, provided the video display screen gives them an interesting
and stimulating picture. (Laser-disk games are especially effective) Most
VIDIOTS are single, or divorced, unless of course they were lucky enough to
meet another member of their species. The true VIDIOTS home is easy enough
to spot. Besides several antenna's on top of a 100 foot tall mast pointed
at every nearby transmission tower, there is at least one satellite downlink
in the back yard.
I have one more word for consideration, but it slips my mind at the moment.
It's been a long night. I'll see if I can't bring it up from the grey matter
tomorrow and post it your direction.
Finally, you may receive several copies of this note. I'm going to send
it two or three times to make sure it gets out. I'm never sure about our
mailer.
Have fun...and let's get an underground triskett movement going !!!
{ihnp4,seismo,gatech,harvard,ctvax,nbires,ucb-vax}!ut-sally!kvue!spangler
Telco: 512-459-6521 (Ext. 2068) Lance Spangler
Telco: 512-459-1433 (Pvt. biz line) Senior Producer
KVUE Television
The only thing we have to Austin, Texas
fear is computing itself! <:-)) ((P. O. Box 9927))
zip------> 78766
* * *
From: Brian Randell <turtlevax!seismo!cheviot.newcastle.ac.uk!mcvax!brian>
Organization: U. of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K.
I nominate "PESSIMIZE: to make as imperfect, ineffective, or non-functional
as possible. [Antonym of OPTIMIZE, not needed until the advent of the electronic
computer]"
Brian Randell - Computing Laboratory, University of Newcastle upon Tyne
ARPA : brian%cheviot%newcastle@ucl-cs.arpa
UUCP : <UK>!ukc!cheviot!brian
JANET : brian@uk.ac.newcastle.cheviot
* * *
From: <turtlevax!spar!decvax!watmath!looking!brad>
Organization: Looking Glass Software Ltd. Waterloo, Ontario
Cc:
There are two kinds of words to "add" to the language. One is a totally
new word. The other kind is a new or expanded meaning for an old word.
I offer:
YIT: Noun: Somebody who isn't a "yuppie" but wants to be one. From
"yuppie in training"
NOP: Noun: A useless person
Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. - Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
* * *
From: turtlevax!spar!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!bmcg!asgb!devine
id AA13370; Wed, 2 Oct 85 11:30:22 PDT hops=0
A new (and useful) is "dildotic". If you know what a 'dildo' is
and if you know what it means when someone is called a 'prick', just
imagine what it means when there behavior is described as 'dildotic'.
A dildotic person combines the wonderfulness of being a prick with
the artificiality of a dildo.
Bob Devine
Boulder, CO.
* * *
From: turtlevax!seismo!rochester!steinmetz!steinmetz!putnam (jefu)
Organization: GE CRD, Schenectady, NY
How about 'fendrip'. Those are those things that folks in snowy climes
accumulate behind the front wheels of their cars.
The thought of cheeze triskits made me ill anyway.
* * *
From: turtlevax!decwrl!decvax!tektronix!ogcvax!sequent!brian
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. Portland, Oregon
The vast majority of the people in the US have never heard of USENET. That
is even more true of the rest of the world. If you want to impress the people
of the world with the power of USENET you must first make USENET a household
word. Thus, the obvious word for your contest is USENET.
Brian M. Godfrey
Sequent Computer Systems
!tektronix!ogcvax!sequent!brian
* * *
And thanks to Chris Westphal for suggesting Oreo's with strawberry filling!
I can make fake ones myself in my kitchen. Yum!
-----------------------------------------------
Mark Thorson (...!cae780!weitek!mmm)
So I asked the mechanic "What's wrong with my car?".
He said "Wbva gur arg.haqretebhaq znvyvat yvfg!"
I nodded knowingly, as if I understood.
"How much will it cost to fix?" I asked.
"Twelve hundred dollars" he said quite clearly.