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

Entry: Gismos, Whatsits and Thingummy Doodahs - A Guide to Vague Language - A74423739
Author: Icy North - July EotM - A73748424 - U225620

Greetings, Peer Reviewers

Another ramble through our weird language.

Comments and suggestions welcome.

Icy

hehe, I am going to enjoy reading this!



Lanzababy

...and I did. Thanks Icy.


Doobrey is definitely being used more and more.


did you miss 'widget' out on purpose? or did it not fit into a category?

Probably dated, but I remember hearing "How's yer father"

Eerm....

Love it. There are in infinate number of vague words that could have been included in this entry, b ut I think that you stopped at the right length. I can't come up with any suggestions for improvement.

NBY

Thanks all

Yes, you're right that I didn't know where to put 'widget', and in the end gave up and submitted this to PR. I'll see what I can do - maybe I'll put it somewhere near gadget.

Icy

Great Sunday morning reading, Icy

I'll be thinking of parent-invented words all day now...

This should be put in the doobry-whatsit next to the thingumybob malarkiness.

Thanks Icy. I am sure there are lots more but my mind is more blank than usual at the moment. Being a I find myself using them more and more

Websailor

French has bidule, trucmuche and machin-chouette in the mroe flowery category. There's no competing your vagueness!

I somewhat disagree with the sentence:

"Not only do we have words for pretty much everything we need, we also have a less than impressive collection of words for those times when we can't remember them."

"Less" than impressive? For me this suggest few and unimaginative words

Actually I wondered about the 'less than', in that sentence. It would read much better without it.


----> [an impressive]

Love it. Very funny, and it's boosted my vocabulary enormously.

Yet another Icy classic, well done.


BMT Scout

.. and not a sign of lilitis aaa'anywhere!

lil xx

I've added widget (below gadget), and changed a header. I'll add links tomorrow.

Icy

I thought a widget was a specific thing - a kind of mini-app.

Yes, I think 'mini-app' is probably the best way to describe it today (although it's been around since 1987) . I'll look into rewording it <ok

I should add that many of these words have/had specific meanings, but at one time or another they were used as vague terms. I mention the specific meanings as it helps to categorise them.

I've added links, and made a few minor additions (I've mentioned the thing-a-ma-jig in Mouse Trap, and also the derivation of oojamaflip.)

I've also changed the title from '...Vague Language' to '...Vague English'.

I've no plans to add anything else, so let me know if there's anything else you think it needs.

Icy