Dean's World

Funny Words

deanesmay

Sheila is having an interesting discussion on annoying weblogger terminology, and annoying words in general. For example, she doesn't like "scone" or "asshat." Which got me thinking, but in a different direction: funny words. Aren't some words just inherently funny?

"Cow" for example. Perhaps it's the animal itself, but "cow" just makes me chuckle. Reminds me of driving through the country as a kid and pointing and saying, "cows!" Cow. Cows. It's just a funny word to me.

I also like "boing."

I think the blogosphere's greatest contribution to the English language is undoubtedly "moonbat." So far as I'm concerned it's sheer poetry. I now refer in everyday language to right-wing lunatics as "wingnuts" and airhead lefties as "moonbats."

If they ever give out a Nobel Prize for word coinage, it should be for "moonbat." I'm also fond of referring to them in the plural form as Les Moonbats, though I forget who came up with that.

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Steven Malcolm Anderson (www):

I've always thought that "dog" has an inherently funny sound to it. "Blog". "Blogger". "Booger"? Hmmm.... har! har! Hmmm....

For a while, "moonbats" were called "idiotarians". "Moonbat" is easier to say, though. I'm a "wingnut". I tend toward the Starboard side of most spectrums, especially since 9/11/2001.

The terminology used here in weblogs is interesting. On an old comedy show, an old conservative once said his hobbies were "lifting and weights and looking for Communists." I love the _style_ of that! A more updated version of that might be "linking to other wingnuts in the blogosphere and fisking moonbats."

I like the term "asshat". Rachel Lucas used it a lot. She also loved to hit them with her Cluebat.

7.6.2004 6:42pm

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John Stryker (mail) (www):

"Moonbat" has been around for as long as USEnet, and has always been popular on message boards I've moderated and participated in.

7.6.2004 6:43pm

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Steven Malcolm Anderson (www):

That was a very interesting post that that linked to about words and phrases people hate or can't stand. There's a lot of them I hate.

7.6.2004 7:49pm

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Dean Esmay (www):

Sheila's one of the best writers in the blogosphere, and she's got a great group of commenters.

7.6.2004 9:33pm

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Katherine Kelso Scott (mail):

Carnival of the (fill in the blank) is visual and has interesting references to fun, rides, upset stomachs, winning prizes, etc...but is becoming overused. If bloggers are going to use this, they should identify themselves in carnival lingo, I think, and include some popcorn, cotton candy, and a few 'rides.'

I am still deciding about the term, may have to be a case by case event.

7.7.2004 12:15am

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Rhye (www):

I learned of "assclown" just through blogging and I just think it's hilarious.

7.7.2004 5:50am

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Demetrius (mail):

I agree Dean, "cow" sets me off snickering everytime; What makes it worse is remembering all the Larson "Far Side" cartoons portraying cows--That's just gasoline on the fire for me. I particularly rember the one with a carful of cows passing by a field with some people just standing round in it, with one of the cows leaning out the car window shouting "Yak-yak yakkity yak!" at the humans (making fun of the way most people call out "mooo!" when they drive by fields with cows in them)
Hilarious.

7.7.2004 2:31pm

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Hatcher (mail):

So how about Les Chauve-souris de Lune?

Love scones, love the word, whether American or various Brit pronunciations.

Asshat and Assclown are just fine. Don't use "fucktard," but "fuckwad" and "fuckwit" both work.

7.7.2004 2:58pm

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Steven Malcolm Anderson (www):

As I think of it, "moonbat" reminds me of "dingbat" and "meathead".

7.7.2004 3:25pm

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Mark D. Firestone:

I have always wondered just exactlly what an "asshat" is. Is it the ass gasket that is found in public toilets? You know, "Reagan Campaign Hats, Clinton Campaign Hats", etc.? Or is an asshat someone with their head up their ass, in which case I think one should refer to someone not as an asshat, but that they are wearing their asshat. I don't know, I've always thought it sounded too stupid to use.

7.7.2004 10:31pm

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Scott Chaffin (mail) (www):

The better cow Far Side is the one where the cows have a lookout that shouts "CAR!" so they can all go down on all fours and chew grass while it passes.

A cow joke:
Knock, knock...
Who's there?
Impatient cow.
Impa [MOOOOOOOOO!]

ya really got to hear it to get the full effect. OK, then.

7.8.2004 12:15am

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