h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Is there a name for the menacing single-word utterances often deployed in the last two series?
"Exterminate" is of course a classic, and "Delete" has an obvious parallel.
In the Idiot's Lantern we had (I think) "feasting!" and in The Empty Child there was "Mummy?" , admittedly with 'are you my' prefixing it sometimes.
And, erm, in New Earth, the zombie-patients did it, I think...
What others were there?

The word you're looking for might be 'catchphrase'.

Like 'Fantastic' from Season 1.

True, it is a catchphrase, but a specific sort, which normally has but a single word, and is used to convey menace. It can be (and often is) repeated many times for effect.
I'll call it the 'peril-word' for now.
I feel 'Fantastic' is indeed a catchphrase, but not really a peril-word, for it is non-menacing, and the Doctor would never repeat it, dalek-style.
'Catchphrase' has a far more general meaning.
Although I daresay RTD first tried "Nice to delete you, to delete you nice", before settling on the peril-word 'delete'.

Wasn't the word in The Idiot's Lantern "Hungry"?

Nah, that was Paradise Towers...

I'll get me coat.

No, in Idiot's Lantern it was "Feed me!" - so two words. Although "Hungry!" may have been used too.

"Hungry" or more accurately "Hungreeeeeeeeeeee!" was definitely the dominant menacing word in the Idiot's Lantern.

I really liked that the Cybermen had a few catchphrases. Making the word 'upgrade' so menacing was a stroke of genius.

My fave word - or rather noise- though, has got to be cybermen marching.

STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!

This has now been bugging me all day, because scents(Yes) is right - there should be a term that covers this sort of thing.

So I went looking and the best I could come up with was:

Catchword (n)
A well known word or phrase, especially one that exemplifies a notion, class or quality.

...which was a bit disappointing. I had high hopes for Shibboleth, but that's not right either so its time to break out the esoteric dictionary in the hope of finding le mot juste.

>This has now been bugging me all day,../

sorry

>/...I had high hopes for Shibboleth, but that's not right either /...

Shiver-leth?

"Gefahrwort"

>"Gefahrwort" sounds good to me. I've asked this same question on the BBC 'Word of Mouth' board, see below. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbradio4/F2766781?thread=3375083&post=39441867#p39441867 One thing I still don't know; what did the zombie-like patients say, in New Earth?

How about "I did my duty" from the last episode?

It's not really menacing or anything but it's a catchphrase of sorts ... isn't it?

...the monsters in Torchwood seem reluctant to use such words. I don't think the cyberbabe even said 'delete', did she?

She said 'upgrade' a few times.

The Fairies say 'Come with us...' which is quite scary.

"The Fairies one" was my favourite so far.

At one point a ringing telephone broke the tension with a start, which was an indication that there actually was some tension.

Watching old Pertwee on TV last night, with my kids ("where are the monsters?"), reminded me of how much things have changed. In those pre-GCI days, they actually had to carve the supporting actors out of wood.
(Or so their acting ability would suggest.)