FollowHere are the non-words for May and today we begin month six! And thanks to Leroy Fulwiler, Kim D C Harper and Wilkins-O’Riley Zinn for their non-word contributions.
As you know—or maybe don’t—I try to curate the non-words by looking up the possible non-words to see if they are already in use as words. One of the surprising benefits of this has been to learn about some words that I didn’t know existed. Among them are tain, swelt, adject, smatter, inutile, acquittance, cessant, and wakelessness (this last one used by Emily Dickinson).
tridecadedication is a long non-word made up to recognize Steve Larvick and doug Kirby on their 30 years (each) of service at Southern Oregon University. I made an effort this month to add some very short non-words and to include an auxiliary verb. And I used thecal even though it exists as a botantical term; the allusion was too good to resist.
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fetonyms, n. words or meanings joined by folk etymology, such as May Day and mayday (from the French word for “help”). 1 May
shoedoo, n. the sticky film that gets on your shoes when you recycle cans or bottles ( w/ apologies to Andy Williams). 2 May
unpalate, v. to cause something to be distasteful, unsavory or unpleasant (backformation from unpalatable). 3 May
sesquipediment, n. a very long word that you have to stop and look up. 4 May
fiesta résistance, n. the ultimate Cinco de Mayo celebration [from pièce de résistance, w/ thanks to Leroy Fulwiler]. 5 May
ish adj. A separated affix meaning about; also, ishness, indicating a state of uncertainty (from Kim D. C. Harper). 6 May
sult, v. to offer one’s unsolicited, uninformed opinion (a clipping of insult plus consult). 7 May
humong, v. to make something much much bigger, to supersupersize (clipping of humongous). 8 May
malastute, adj. lacking shrewdness or perspicaclty about one’s own concerns. 9 May
intimatum, n. a final statement of demands or conditions made by a partner, spouse or other very close friend. 10 May
enfact, v. to assert something untrue, illogical or dubious amidst a cloud of real facts. 11 May
incurate, v. to allow a project to take a life of its own and proceed without acitve tending (from in + curate). 12 May
matrimatrix, n. the biological substance out of which something is formed and by extension a nurturesome environment. 13 May
verkle, v. to expel something from one’s throat, such as a hairball or piece of stuck food (from verklempt). 14 May
nat, v. to begin to natter but catch yourself after the first natterance. 15 May
fauxobey, v. to pretend to obey a rule or law you disagree with while actually ignoring or subverting it. 16 May
myriaddled, adj. having a thousand things to do and not knowing where to begin. 17 May
bafflefog, n. dense cloud of doublespeak, bureaucratese or other incomprehensible language (from Wilkins-O’Riley Zinn). 18 May
whomligan, n. one who misuses the word “whom” where “who” is required grammatically. 19 May
explosition, n. a bursting forth of words, without regard for the conventions of rhetoric or composition. 20 May
deconcile, v. to mutually chill a once amicable relationship. 21 May
wusta, auxiliary verb [woostuh] should have and would have if I had thought of it (“I wusta offered you a ride”). 22 May
philantrophy n. the recognition one receives for a large donation to a building project. 23 May
thecal, adj. of or relating to a master’s thesis. 24 May
roly, adj. obsessive, proselytizing religiousity (shortening of “rolling holy”). 25 May
happenstand, v. to be minding one’s own business when something happens in the immediate vicinity. 26 May
envoguerate, v. to revive a flagging brand; also re-envougerate, meaning to rerebrand. 27 May
commemory, n. a shared recalling of national or group significance, especially embodying sacrifice. 28 May
lococo, adj referring to any contemporary low-brow art which mimics the look of the late Baroque period. 29 May
tridecadedication, n, enduring comitment and dedication to a thirty-year endeavor or enterprise. 30 May
smot, n. a pattern of mottling or a series of irregular spots on fabric or on one’s skin. May 31
