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| From the editor's
desk Sow's Ear, Summer 2008
Eighteen months since the last update -- a sign of the times. I am living the Mario Andretti quotation, "If everything is under control, you're not going fast enough." Entries from polar research stations, ships at sea, and orbiting international space stations are still woefully underrepresented. Entries from those locales will be given fast track and celebrity status. cookie disclaimer: The webtracking script used on these pages is available from www.statcounter.com and it is really handy (and free!). This hit counting program only tracks very general data. We know what countries and regions our visitors are coming from, and how long they stay. If some other website refered them we know that, too. The Ojohaven website (it is one of the ones at the bottom of this page) continues to send visitors our way. We're grateful for that. We cannot identify our individual visitors, and we don't want to do so. Even if we could, we'd never give or sell any tracking information to anyone, ever! Links to other equally delightful liguistic sites may be found at the bottom of this page. If a link is no longer valid, we'd like to know. The link to the Sow's Ear main page is also to be found at the bottom of this page, so that you can see what else we've felt interesting enough to share with the world. |
abbrevate;
v., To shorten text
or reduce font size such that reader comprehension is reduced as an unintended
consequence.
(contracted form:
abbreviate)
abmure;
v., To make absurd
suggestions, esp. during brainstorming sessions; to fill silences with
idiocies. Also abmurancy, abmurant.
(L. ab mura:
off the wall)
abrevision;
n., Deleterious
supervisory alterations to a project which are beyond appeal or mitigation.
Work made worse by revision.
(L. rarum res
re ab viseo: a circus act made more dangerous by use of a blindfold )
absentiment;
n., A statement
made by silence. "Chris ignored the invitation to Cheryl's baby shower,
as an absentiment -- a third child, sired by a third boyfriend was just
too much."
(L. ab sentimentis:
without statement)
abvice;
n., Incompetent
help from others, especially superiors.
(L. ab victo:
away from success)
abvisce;
v., to render powerless
or meaningless. Also abviscete, abviscent.
(L. ab: without
+ viscera: guts)
abvise;
v., to give bad
council or counterproductive assistance.
(L. ab viseo:
blindfolded)
accretiate;
v., To praise excessively
and indiscriminately.
(comb. accrete
+ appreciate )
acronism;
n., The subconscious
belief that the name or acronym of a project or project team can confer
special protection or guarantee of success.
(Engl. acronym:
the initials of a phrase presented or used as a word)
acrost;
n., The right word in the wrong place, or the
wrong word in the right place.
(jargon, crossword puzzle design: a word which
fits the definition and allotted space, but ruins the puzzle)
additative;
n., An internal
redundancy of syllables inserted solely to improve the perceived importance
or credibility of a word or the speaker, as in
preventivebecoming
preventative.
(Eng. corrupt.:
additive)
addometer;
n., (anat.) that
portion of the cerebral cortex dedicated to mental calculation. (Brit.
var.: addometre) Not to be confused with adometer.
(Gr.: addomos
metor: estimator)
adheur;
v., To test by experiment
or subject to verification.
(G. heuriskein:
to discover)
adminocrap;
n., Policy, rules,
regulations, or laws promulgated soley to demonstrate to power and authority
of an adminocrat.
(comb. adminocrat
+crap)
adminocrat;
n., An autocratic
administrator known for producing adminocrap.
(comb. adimistrative+autocrat)
administrivia;
n., Regulations
or requirements which are beyond challenge or revision because they predate
the employment of the officials that uphold them.
(comb.: administrate
+ trivia)
adminutia;
n., Elements of
administrivia which routinely generate protests answered by, "I don't
make the rules, I just enforce them."
(comb.: admistrate
+ minutia)
adnegate;
v., To render a
proposal anorchile specifically by an ammendment or ammendments which contradict
the original purpose.
(L. ad negatum:
to nothing)
adometer;
n., An instrument designed to measure just how much ado is being made
over a particular nothing.
(engl.: ado + meter)
affectuate;
v. to dress something up with inappropriate attributes to mask a less
than acceptable subtext. Not to be confused with effectuate.
(comb. affect + actuate)
agreance;
n., A state of mistaken
concordance, where both parties erroneously interpret the position of the
other to be in line with their own.
(L. ad grea:
toward collision)
aggrement;
n., Hostility or
opposition to an idea which has built up over time, such that there will
be no discussion or decision, irrespective of merit.
(L. aggrementum:
bue)
agonate;
v., To torture a
subject and those damned to discussing it by the repeated reopening of
previously settled elements.
(inverbiative:
agony)
aholibate;
v., To bring both
sides in a campaign to equal levels of small-minded meanness of spirit.
(contraction:
a-holes debate)
akaphma;
n., A statement
or document which is universally consistent in interpretation.
(mythol. akaphma:
a magic jewel that affords the bearer universal language)
akse;
v., To offer a question
of such brutal stupidity that it stuns the listener.
(Norw. akse:
a stone used to pound okum into the seams of wooden boat hulls. )
alievski;
n., A loyal and
indispensible yet unsung assistant, usually assigned to an affable but
completely disorganized functionary. See also criznomski.
(mythical character
from Soviet bureaucratic lore)
Alphachromatology;
n., The science
of classification by symbolic colors or auras of printed or written textual
and numeric characters; the basis for color selection in pie charts.
(Gr. alphabeta:
letters + chromo: color)
alpeaux;
n., Boilerplate
text passed off as original or unique.
(Fr. alpeaux:
horseflesh used for dogfood)
alternotive;
n., A counter-recommendation made to advance
the unstated interests of the speaker.
(L. rerum alternotarum: unwritten things)
alzino;
n., A microunit
of comprehension or understanding approximately equal to half of a standard
IQ point.
(after Dr. Masin
Alzino, founder of the School of Conundral Logic)
ambolic;
adj., Phrases inserted
in order to give power to a statement, often intended to become soundbites.
(pharm. Ambolerol:
a naturally occuring steroid used in oriental herbal medicine. Derived
from the plant, Macrotestis draconis.)
amdegate;
v., The use of special
letterhead or the inclusion of proprietary symbols in a document in order
to lend wieght or credence.
(from the jesuit
acronym, AMDG: Ad Majoram Dei Gloriam.)
amny;
n., Convenient memory;
the ability to forget one's own missteps, errors, and criminal activities.
(L. ab mnea:
without memory)
ampular;
see empule
anachronym;
n., An acronym misapplied in temporal terms, such as calling the Russian
federal police the KGB, or referring to Russia as the USSR, etc.
(comb. acronym + anachronism)
anhingant;
adj., Unexpectedly
well suited to a task. Seemingly ill-designed yet efficient.
(Tupi. anhinga:
snakebird)
anjouant;
adj., Describing
the body habitus of the seasoned bureaucrat; a proportion of lower to upper
body mass approximating the Golden Mean.
(Fr. anjou: pear-shaped)
annat;
n., a grunt or verbal
tic expressed automatically at intervals, to give the false impression
that the listener is still listening.
(Scot. annat:
a small wood duck, known for continuing to utter noises after dead.
A bane of highland fowlers.)
anorchile;
adj., Powerless;
futile; impotent. Also anorchistry.
(L. an orchis:
without testicles)
anoxymoron;
n., a transipidate
pairing of terms, where even the dullest of comparisons seems bright.
(Gr. anoxy: without
air + moron: air-head)
apricate;
v., To reduce a
statement to absolute brevity without loss of context.
(L. aprica: peach
pit )
apsody;
n., Irrational fear
of repeating an error.
(Gr. psodos:
stammering)
ardnass;
n. an impossibility
plausibly presented, as is good science fiction. Also ardnassic.
(orig. unknown)
arostrate;
adj. Blunt or dull;
without distinguishing characteristics.
(L. ab rostrum:
without nose)
arpiture;
Any component designed
to fail under stress in order to halt further progress, with the intention
of limiting further damage.
(orig. uncert.)
asskey;
n., Any keystroke struck in frustration,
most typically in an attempt to revive a frozen system. The group
secretary could be heard asking Tech Support, "so
where's the asskey"?
(orig. Southern US dial., ASCII)
attitone;
n., A verbal
communication which cleverly conveys non-verbal clues. "The comptrollers
attitone made it clear that the Sisyphus Project would continue."
(comb.
attitude + tone)
aunic;
adj. Having the
properties of, or resembling an aun. adv., In an aun-like fashion.
(Aun. aun: aun)
automissivity;
n., The level of
indwelling risk of or proclivity toward being or becoming a loose cannon.
The tendency to go off half-cocked.
(Gr. auto: self
+ L. mitto: to send)
azaphic;
adj., Rubelike;
guiless by virtue of ignorance. Innately or congenitally defective.
(Gr.a: without
+ zaphos: pinch or short measure. Refers to a facial defect associated
with incestuous origin)
barbative;
adj., Presenting
a cold, negative manner, e.g. when faced with an interview, and clamming
up, and becoming reserved, monosyllabic, difficult.
(botany. barbate:
covered in short stout spikes or sharp scales.)
barmstrong;
adj., Unshakable
in an erroneous conviction or belief. also barmstrength
(Brit. slang.
barmy: crazy + Eng. strong )
barshamana;
n., An innocuous nonesense reply used to gently dismiss the statement
or opinion of someone that does not realize the meaniningless nature of
the reply. "James routinely countered the impossible requests from his
ignorant manager with eloquent barshamana, which was always accepted simply
as technical jargon."
(Yid. barshamana: sheep manure)
beable;
v., to consider a decision only under immediate
duress.
(OE, beable: the deaf and mute guard traditionally
stationed at the door of the torture chamber)
bebaism;
n., Ingrained mediocrity
or laziness jealously defended by the corporate culture.
(Malout Beba,
14th century cult leader espousing sleep as the highest form of active
meditation.)
bedreaded;
adj., Overgrown;
weedy; a xygency of neglect.
(Rastafarian:
b'dread'd: with superlative dreadlocks)
beel;
n., A bouscent,
jenking bureaucrat; one that constantly annoys and alienates all his co-workers.
(OE: beele: an
inferior rat dog.)
bissenstein;
n., An unpleasant
but necessary action which has no alternative. "It was a bissenstein
for Dave to proose the amended legislation."
(Ger: bissenstein
or bissen stein: a kissing stone or to kiss stone)
blage;
v., To strigulate
or halt a process by focus on unimportant detail or details. n., the element
of a discussion or negotiation which, without merit, forms the basis for
impasse or filibuster. Also blagery.
(It. blaggio:
a stomach cramp.)
blilb;
v., To come in while
the worker isn't there and alter a project he's been working on so that
it no longer works. To surreptitiously remove an essential part of a device.
"Wood blilbed the aluminum prism out of René Blondlot's N ray device.
Blondlot saw no change, thus proving that N rays were a figment of his
imagination."
(Hebr. bli leb:
with the heart missing)
bobwork;
n., Work innocently
performed off-book; untraceable items added to or removed from a file or
document without any authorization, paper trail, supporting research, or
fraudulent intent. The hallmarks of bobwork are twofold: 1.) the
file or document establishes troublesome precedent, and 2.) The precedent
cannot be rescinded or ammended, since its source is obscured.
(Orig. in blame
of generic unavailable person: "I think Bob handled that case before
he went into the nursing home.")
bohica;
n., A state of resigned
paranoia.
(Bohic: the
historically most frequently conquered people in Europe)
bonzonize;
v., To dress up
or improve a mediocre product by use of a showy presentation or slick marketing;
the use of flarbage.
(L. bonus: good
+ Gr. girdle)
bosnog;
n., A seemingly
ironclad proposal with a purposely built-in achilles heel. Software
which later allows the developer inappropriate access to customer data.
(Sipanyi mythol,
Bos Nog: the Bull with a hollow horn)
bosquare;
n., The boss of one's boss.
(deriv. math.: boss squared)
bourbose;
adj., Long winded,
disjointed speech; given to frequent changes in direction or apparent intent.
(OE. bourbor:
a sodden chronic alcoholic)
bousce;
v., To occupy a
position for the sake of occupation or out of habit. n., a stand taken
without conviction. Also bouscent.
(Fr. boisce:
a large, plain shirt)
bress;
v., To quickly iron
or press one's no-iron clothing; to make last minute changes which neither
enhance nor detract, but kill time.
(Dutch. beeress:
to dust )
browl;
v., To complain
with false bravado, especially after public humiliation.
(OE. the owner
of the losing rooster in a cockfight.)
bubbaform;
adj., Lowbrow; oversimplified;
idiotproofed.
(Amer. slang.
bubba + L. forma: shape )
bucoleric;
n., an angry country
person.
(Eng. comb: bucolic+choleric
)
bue;
n., Palpable tension
during official proceedings which stem from unrelated hostility between
two or more participants.
(from a metal
trades acronym: Built Up Edge)
buildiness;
Descriptive yaddage used to enhance the image
of an institution in its prospectus.
(Ger. bildnis: portrait)
bumbative;
adj., Disguised as colloquial or provincial
in appearance or manner, in order to disarm a potential adversary.
"Mary took a bumbative tack in her opening remarks to the jury, but her
real target was opposing counsel."
(orig. uncert.)
Bureaucratology;
n., The study of bureaucrats and bureaucracy.
Arguably a grim fascination rather that a true field of study.
butonic;
n., Any political view or ideology reduced to a slogan designed to
fit on a pin, button or other small clothing accessory, as either a symbol
or as text. adj..
Describing a political stand which has been reduced, ad absurdam, to fit
the limted intellectual or philosophical capacity of its proponent. Also
butonism.
(Fr. boutonier:
a decorative element worn in a buttonhole)
carabudug;
n., A false act
of penetence, intended to deflect further scrutiny or punishment.
(Hebr. kara:
kneel + Mongol. ebedug: unbended knee)
caryblairic;
adj., Bearing bad
news or an awful truth.
(medicine. cary
blair: a sample container used for fecal material )
casp;
n., Self-serving
and self-perpetuating stagnation, through the embrace of perceived victimhood.
(acronym, psychol.:
Chronic Acute Self Pity)
castigrate;
v., To punish by
brutal public humiliation which goes beyond public non-support or scapegoating;
to throw to the wolves.
(L. castigrere:
to catapult [a person] over the battlements)
centeral;
adj.,
Being at the core of a false memory; corruptionof the probability concept
holding that the more times a place is visited, the more it becomes real
to the visitor. "My work has been centeral to the success of this
program."
(comb.
form: central+ integral)
chank;
n., A lower level
manager, a supervisor, a lieutenant; a continuously irritating person with
whom one must contend as a direct consequence of accepting employment.
v., To harrass by constant challenge or questioning of mode, method or
means. To maliciously derail another's train of thought.
(corr. Fr. chancre:
an unhealing sore)
chariman;
n., A leader too
timid to lead. One hamstrung by an overblown fear of offending others.
(OE chary man:
a simpleton frightened by everything)
chetotic;
adj., Nit-picking
by nature; obtuse.
(Gr. cheto +
tomy: to split a whisker)
ciliment;
n., a troubling
detail; a sticking point. Also cilimentary, cilimence.
(L. cili-: hairs,
hairy)
cimorifia;
n., A display of
gestures and body language which unintentionally contradict a speaker's
text or intent, possibly a form of Turet's syndrome.
(It. cimifiori:
signal flags)
cinchion;
n., That attribute
or connection which makes impossible the removal of an incumbant officeholder.
(Sp. Cinchon:
knot)
circuma;
n., Peripheral spin-offs
of a proposal or project which only divert, dilute or disguise the central
concept;
(L. circuma:
weedy suckers arising from the base of a tree )
circumvade;
n., a well-choreographed
maneuver, artfully executed so as to duck responsibility. True practicioners
can do this reflexively, without thinking. v., to perform such a maneuver.
(comb. circumvent
+ evade)
cissic;
adj., Forming a
natural junction or break point. n., a detachable part. Also cissism
(L. cisso: to
cut off)
civicorb;
n., A subergate
blue collar public sector employee which enjoys immunity from responsibilities
work requirements by a combination of wits, union affiliation, and venomous
disposition.
(L. Corvis civicus:
a city crow)
clabberation;
n. The muddle produced
by a team when the members are at loggerheads with each other or lack essential
skills or knowledge for the project.
(Gael. clabar:
churn)
cladofenes;
n., naysayers
(Gr. clado: to
throw + fenes: out the window)
clafir;
n., A public information
officer especially gifted in the art of "spin."
(Turk. clafir:
lierally, a royal clothier; a valet or personal assistant to an emir)
clafiricate;
v., To successfully
sell setbacks as progress.
(Turk. clafir:
lierally, a clother; a valet or personal assistant to an emir)
cleidokakism;
n., the intentional
concealing of defects or faults. Also cleidokakist,-ry.
(Gr. cleido:
to hide + kakis: the worst)
coapt;
v., Any word, phrase
or material copied or lifted to better use elsewhere. Also: co-apt.
(comb. co-opt
+ apt)
cofidance;
n., A doomed alliance
between two or more incompetents.
(L. cum fide
dunce: with faith in folls)
cognosticate;
v., To, with calm exterior, internally struggle to remember someone's
name while in conversation with that person.
(Cognostics. applied study of nmemonics)
cognought;
adj., Incapable
of seeing incompetence in a colleague, particularly one's own nominee or
appointee; blinded by pride or misplaced loyalty.
(L. cogna nullat:
seeing nothing)
cohurt;
n., Fellow victims
of a specific layoff.
(comb. cohort
+ hurt)
collention;
n., A strategy of
shared pain. "Collention from the Engineering Department soon had
the Sales Division in an uproar, which led to a suspension of outsourcing."
(L. collentii:
prisoners chained together)
colial;
adj., Layered or
with a tendency to form layers or strata.
(L. colere: to
repaint)
comboberate;
v., To actively complicate something in order to fortify it against
audit.
(Swahalo-French
pidgin. com bobo: the work of monkeys)
combolete;
adj., Structurally
or contextually obtuse or distorted. N., An element of an argument which
untintentionally defeats or discredits the argument.
(L. combolus:
an object choked upon)
commisherate;
v., To placate with
false empathy for an imagined wrong, usually so as not to aggravate an
insane or drunken person. "We all commisherated with Jim, it was
clear that he'd been drinking all morning and no one wanted a reprise of
last year's incident."
(slurred form
of commiserate)
compulcate;
v., Unnecessary
addition of details, driven by lack of confidence.
(L. compulchrae:
face paint or make-up used by prostitutes)
concortion;
n. anything rendered
inflexible as a direct result of an attempt to simplify or make it more
user friendly.
(Medicine. side
effect of cortisone overdose)
condise;
v. To redefine by
sheer force of confident delivery.
(L. con que de
se: with what of this)
confest;
v., To waste or steal resources under the cover of a far more wasteful
or corrupt entity. "The draining of the social fund was a cleverly confested
scheme, with the stock inflation scandal taking the limelight."
(contraction: co-infestation)
confurcation;
n., pathological
habitual hairsplitting.
(L. con furcus
addendum: forks added)
congrestion;
n., The paralysis
of process, intentionally inflicted or not.
(comb.: Congress
+ congestion.)
considertion;
n., Lip service
paid with a show of pained magnanimity.
(L. considion:
a criminal serving a term of temporary enslavement.)
consolidarity;
n., Agreement among
individuals usually intolerant of one another; grassroots polodomy.
(comb. consolation
+ solidarity )
cont;
n., The next-to-last added detail.
"Bailey threw in his last cont just before the vote was taken. It
was doomed, and everyone knew it."
(contraction: continuum)
contragarious;
adj., repellent
in nature; unfriendly.
(L. contra: against
+ gregaricus: group or gathering)
coolerant;
adj., Outwardly
mildly prejudiced while inwardly rednecked, as a result of social or legal
pressure. BR>(comb. cool + tolerant)
cormal;
adj. offered in the nature of a decoy, to test for risk
(Botany: after the first shoots from a bulb or corm, which may regrow
if killed by late frost)
cormorous;
adj., Superficially
functional; occupying a position which appears far more influential or
important than it is. Harmless or politically captive.
(OF. coer merant:
a trained bird used for fishing)
corporated;
adj., Fleshed out;
fattened up; packaged for presentation.
(L. corpora:
body )
corsh;
corvilling;
n. The grumbling
background sound of discontent or rising protest from a mob approaching
irrational action.
(L. corvis: raven)
cosmotic;
adj., From an alternate
plane of existense or spirituality. As a pejorative: flaky.
(comb. cosmic
+ osmotic: seepage from the universe)
coughter;
n., A ripple of
audience noise which punctuates and underlines a gross public misstatement
or gaff.
(comb.: cough
+ laughter)
coun;
n., A micromanager in denial. One that while professing faith in underlings,
snares them in a safety net.
(L. semper com unem: always with one)
covality;
n., A single shared passion which bonds two or more otherwise incompatible
people. "The covality which held the Bell-Spewicks' marriage together
was their dedication to the Green Party."
(medicine, covalent twin: conjoined twins sharing an arm or hand)
crappenstance;
n., an occurance
of bad luck, which as part of a trend, exceeds statistical expectations.
(comb. crappy
+ happenstance)
criznomski;
n., The bureaucratic
equivalent of a court jester, derived from a mythical mid-level bureaucrat
whose combination of jaded humor, clever deviousness, and big heart manage
to keep a bloated but critical agency from collapse; a mythic lowercase
hero, anonymous and faceless, about whom many jokes and tales developed
within the soviet system, a direct descendant of the czarist era Lieutenant
Kieje. See also alievski
(Soviet Russian
argot, a fictitious surname roughly meaning "nameless")
croquane;
adj., Leading to
unintended consequences which should have been obvious ahead of time.
(Fr. croquet:
the strike of the mallet on ball)
Crumbach's method;
n., a method employed
by some writers to conserve all ideas, irrespective of merit. The
keeping of text fragments edited from documents for potential use in other
documents. Akin to the way bakeries save stale product which is ground,
toasted and used to coat some donuts.
cuada;
n., A direct and
expedient political action, without pretense of tact; usually concerned
with self-preservation at any cost.
(Arabic. Q'ada:
the assassin's blow)
cupate;
v., to become a funtional employee by drinking
coffee.
(comb.: cup + pupate)
curantee;
n., A cleverly worded
and often susquasyllabic disclaimer which seems to guarantee or embellishes
the claimed value of an item or idea.
(L. curanto:
a curse)
cution;
n., The excessive
managerial worrying, nagging, or obsession with a task which inspires resistance
in the ranks to its completion.
(It. cutio: to
shake violently)
cutnose;
n., A stubborn,
vindictive sort who would "cut off his nose to spite his face".
(comb. Cut +
nose)
Cyclomethod, Cyclomethodics;
n., A training scheme
based on the maxim that any behavior may be extinguished by repeated failure.
Cycomethodics dictates that the negative reinforcement must be neutral
and beyond the apparent control of any person, and therefore best administered
via software interface. Published as Cyclomethodics: the Principles
of Applied Rundancy by Dr. Snow just before his last dissappearnce.
czil;
n., A person that
speaks the truth or elicits it from the timid or reluctant, regardless
of the consequences.
(Gr. via Russian.
xylon: wooden mallet used for striking clapperless bells during religious
services)
decateur;
n. A person proficient
in the use of defective or obsolete technology or software.
(Fr. decature:
ploughman)
deffo;
delabrose;
adj., Patently and
unabashedly false or treacherous.
(L. without lips)
delegrate;
v., Spucery for
the sake of spucery; delegation of useless or demeaning tasks in order
to maintain appearance of superiority.
(comb. delegate
+ denigrate)
delamerous;
adj., Strange and
unexpected; unpredictable; capricious.
(Fr. de la mer:
from out of the sea)
delide;
v. To cry at someone
or something, especially one who did not expect to be cried at.
(Láadan.
delishe: cried or wept)
dellaishment;
n., Mental anguished
suffered after attempting to complete a mundane task complicated by interaction
with administrative support personnel.
(It. morta della
assimenta: death from overwork)
demdedose;
adj., Lost in the
details; hung up on details.
(Scot. demdedo:
a tool used to incise the most intricate scrollwork)
demerolize;
v., Too placate
a workforce by use of insubstantial rewards, such as employee-of-the-month
parking spaces, casual dress days, and parking lot barbecues after hours.
(pharm. demerol:
a widely used anti-anxiety drug)
depure;
v., To add elements or language to a project which lend the appearance
of long standing, and thereby credibility.
(Chem.: to add a contaminant known to enhance the desired reaction)
derulation;
n., an increasingly
risky strategy or activity.
(L. de rulata
ab rulata: from one narrow ledge to another)
deteriogeny;
The natural and
inevitible entropy or decay of bureaucracy; malignant fuzziness of purpose.
(L. deterio genesis:
the end starts from the beginning)
despiction;
n., the image formed
in the air in front of a speaker by his or her hand gestures.
(comb.: description
+ depiction)
dessimilate;
v., To expel gradually;
to passively ignore or shun an individual in order to drive them away.
(L: undo + simila:
sameness)
dictoral;
n., Procedure or instruction informally
communicated to new manager/supervisor, typed up and distributed by same
without attribution.
(contraction: dictatorial)
didadid;
n., A no-win situation;
bureaucratic or political quicksand.
(Aboriginal Austral.
a drowning person)
digilent;
adj., Attentive
to distractions; easily misled or thrown off.
(Dyslexic corruption:
diligent + vigilant)
digm;
n., A poorly defined
or undefined concept. Also digmal.
(Gr. digmo: eel)
digret;
v., To interrupt
a conversation with a string of unwarranted apologies.
(Eng. comb: digress+regret
)
dinano;
n., A paranoid
state wherein the sufferer suspects that they are the only one that does
not know a vital secret
(Indones. dinano:
a dust devil )
dintrul;
n., a devious and
often counterproductive partial restoration of a revute through administrative
rulemaking.
(Partial retetion:
aDmINistrative RULe)
dipid;
adj. Vetted to blandness;
so inoffensive as to insult intelligence. "The last draft was dipid
before it got to the final review committee, but was sent back for a full
rewrite nonetheless."
(Gr. dipido id:
without personality)
diptine;
adj., Potentially
hazardous to credibility; with potential to embarrass. Also diptic, diptinous.
(Gr. dipso, diptino-:
drunken; swaying)
diption;
n., The self-amusing
ramblings of [most often] engineers and archeologists, full of jargon and
arcane esoterica of no interest or value to anyone other than the speaker;
a form of bourbosity.
(comb.: diptine
+ dictation)
discomboberate;
v., To undo bobwork.
See also comboberate
(Eng. dis+Swahalo-French
pidgin. com bobo: the work of monkeys )
disdose;
n., Acceptance or
resignation to one's lot in life or career stagnancy; a benign mental numbness.
Also disdosition.
(R. Cathol.:
St. Disdo, an accidentally martyred fourth-century half-wit, the patron
saint of the ignorant)
disentraist;
n., One for whom the compassion for individuals
has obliterated the sense of compassion for the community.
(L. disentra spectabilis, a garden favorite)
disgression;
n., Sanctioned profligacy; "Headley's six
month training abroad was unabashed disgression, but then being married
to the chairman's daughter has its rewards."
(L. dis gresso camino: to go off the path)
disnotation;
n., An error which corrupts associated data such
that the original data set cannot be reconstructed by regressive steps;
any plausible yet erroneous concept which goes undetected or unchallenged.
(chess: an error,or combination of errors
in the record of a game or illegal moves which go unnoticed during play.)
disotic;
n., One zealously
and resolutely opposed to an idea or argument such that compromise, sanction
or reason will dissuade them.
(Gr. dis + oto:
he that will not hear it)
distinguinate;
dormal;
adj., The usual or expected state of an audience during a post-lunch
presentation.
(L. dormare: to sleep)
downlote;
n., A cyber-opportunist.
v., To hide flaws behind flashy computer or internet jargon.
(comb. download
+ coyote )
drection;
n., Guidance
provided in a manor in accordance with the systems of jerrynomics and/or
lasbinomics. Seemingly basic policies are expanded to detract from
any final decisions being made. Any useless or misleading instruction
set which nonetheless fully conforms to the style and grammatical guidelines
constraining the author and editors.
(L. drexo,
drexare: to misthrow [a spear])
dreponify;
v., To viciously
turn upon one's colleagues in a transformation of personality fueled by
ruthless ambition. To make allied subordinates into rivals of one another
by restriction of resources or promotional opportunities.
(Gr. harma dreponyphor:
a scythe bearing chariot)
drign;
n., A tool for boring
a progressively widening hole. A belief repeated as fact. v., to bore a
hole of increasing diameter.
(Finn. ijd rign:
a tapered chisel used in boat building)
drox;
n., One that convincingly
professes the company line, while inwardly despising it.
(orig.
uncert., possible reference to creme filled
wafer style cookie )
duflagate;
v., To alter or
larify a process with minutiae. adj., That which creates a blage.
(Orig.
uncert.)
dupelcation;
n., Accidental or
unwitting plagiarism. Writing or speech claimed or believed to be
original, but actually lifted from subconscious memory. "The editor
flagged the manuscript as outright fraud until he interviewed the author,
and found it to be a dupelcation
(comb. duplicity
+ duplication)
duplicious;
adj., Wonderfully
evil or diabolical.
(comb. duplicity
+ delicious)
duretic, duretics;
n., Any lengthy
monolog or diatribe engaged in by official spokespersons with fragile egos
in order to prove that they posess more knowledge than their audience.
(OF. du retior
chien: from a barking dog)
dymology;
n., The theory,
philosophy, and practice of continuous omniflagacy without product, marked
by colial planning sessions; a permenant state of prevolution.
(Gr. dymos: a
spinning top)
dysaudic;
adj., Suffering
from dysaudia, a hearing form of dyslexia. Describing someone that "never
gets it."
(Gr. dys + audio:
hearing wrongly)
dysphonesis;
n., Chronic malapropism
due to stupidity.
(Gr. dys phono:
wrong sound )
dystesis;
n., a condition
of continuous transition between two mutually exclusive states. Also dysteses,
dystetic, dystetory
(Gr. dys: against
+ stetos: stillness)
ebess;
v., To reduce the
pressure of the whole by collapsing one compartment or interior section
without a net release of content. In bureaucracies, the committee process
by which tasks or personnel are eliminated from work plans with no change
in productivity.
(OE yfess, OD
ehpiss.)
ebix;
effectuate;
v. to use flashy multimedia technology for the sake of using flashy
multimedia technology. Not to be confused with affectuate.
(comb. effect + actuate)
effitism;
n., habitual quitting
or giving up. Astrategy of cultivated helplessness.
(Amer. slang:
"F--- it!" + ism)
egmunch;
n., Junkfood for
thought.
(orig. uncert.)
egomorphic;
adj., Dillusionally
conceited to the point where the ego has become separated from the individual.
Often accompanied by feelings of persecution or lack of appreciation.
(Gr. ego morphos:
taking the shape of oneself)
eilian;
adj.,
The antiphone of Aeolian, drawing dischord from the winds. Capable
of souring any conversation.
(origin
undocumented)
ejact;
n., Any gaff, malapropism, or outrageous statement which becomes the
only part of a meeting or conference remembered beyond a few days. v.,
to utter an ejact. also ejactor, ejaction.
(comb. ejaculation + extract)
ejuct;
v., (grammar) To change meaning through change of word order.
(bureaucracy) To change status by changing positions with another.
"Chris and Pat were ejucted in the re-org, and both were miserable and
far less effective."
(L. ex + jucta)
electromagnecute;
adj. pertaining
to the very real physiologic effects from secret exposure to low-level,
non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation by unnamed government agencies.
v., to foster a belief in a person that they have suffered , or will suffer
mental contusions due to the willful exposure to low-level, non-ionizing
electromagnetic radiation, especially where a govenrnment cover-up is likely.
(comb. electrocute
+ electromagnetic)
Elmonia;
n., One country
under discussion, whose name is arbitrary or not important. Also Elmonian.
see fusterus, Pelonia.
(Heb. ploni elmoni:
such and such)
emergant;
adj., Unwashed,
raw, animal, or of questionable sanitary state. "She observed, with
repulsion, the surgeon's emergant fingers, coated with powder. Discarding
his gloves casually to the floor, he approached her, his eyes filled with..."
(Fr. emerge a
gant: to unglove)
emeritis;
n., The condition
of resentment among peers and subordinates caused by someone that should
have retired but hangs on and on and on.
(L. e meritus
pro detritis: from greatness to decay )
emeroid;
n., A company official
or board member retained long past usefulness.
(comb. emeritus
+ hemorrhoid)
empathetic;
adj., Begging for
pity while deserving less.
(Eng. [addiditive
corruption]: empathic.)
empiriclast;
n., One who distrusts
or rejects mainstream science or the scientific method in favor of unproven,
exotic, or "New Age" alternatives.
(Gr. empiri clast: to break the truth)
emplical;
see implical
empule;
v., to disdain publicly
by active indifference. Also empular, Brit.: ampular
(L. im: toward
+pulere: to discard or abandon.)
encabsulate;
v., To strategically
share a taxi in order to influence the other passenger; to buttonhole someone
temporarily captive in any enclosure, such as vehicles, elevators, aircraft,
hunting lodges and queues.
(comb. encapsulate
+ cab)
encapitate;
v., To tie together
a poorly organized presentation by use of catchy titles, headers or captions.
(L., in plus
capito: with a head stuck on )
endon;
n., An interjected summary statement made in effort to move discussion
from one agenda item to the next.
(molecular genetics. endon: a subsequence of nucleotides which
signals a boundary between active genes and "nonsense DNA")
engonulate;
adj., Not quite right; an inaccurate or ineffective approximation.
v., to create such an approximation.
(geometry: a circle is approximated by an n-gon)
ennerate;
v., To weaken perceived
power; to demoralize.
(L., ex nerro:
to drain away from )
enpassanation;
n., A comment made
as a naked ploy to distract attention from or direct attention to a situation.
(Fr. en passant:
in passing)
entemanure;
epete;
adj., Overbearing; aggressively boorish; finding
an argument in anything and everything.
(Fr. "vous epee, te!": "Your sword,
you!" )
episodomize, episodomy;
v., Purposeful corruption, for better or worse, of text, language,
titles or names, just for the fun of it. "Until the first year seminarian's
ejact, Father Rector was oblivious to his well-known episodomized title,
Father Rectal."
(Gr. epi sodom: to bring corruption upon)
epitotic;
adj., endlessly
appended; rambling.
(L., epi toto
extra: one more thing)
eriend;
n. a marginally
justifiable distraction; any task prolonged in order to avoid a more important
one.
(Fr. eriende:
a side path)
eruse,
erusion;
v. to experience
an involuntary and narrowly defined tic; erusion: a behavioral disorder
found in those who respond to questions by turning their heads towards
the nearest computer screen and engaging nervous, twitchy keyboard action.
First discovered by researchers into Human-Computer interaction, who think
it's caused by numerous momentary disconnects between the optic nerve and
the brain. Found only in underlings, i.e., help desk personnel,
and never in supervisors, who often declare, "We are not erused."
combinatve:
L. eradere: to scrape, [see also: rasor], and ME ruse: to repulse in battle,
or to make a detour as a hunted animal.
eritible;
adj. Having the
potential for immortality, as in a project or problem that will never completely
end; extremely larifiable.
(L. erit: it
will be. )
escavate;
esculate;
v., To expound with
decreasing accuracy and increasing tone of authority on any subject with
which one is barely acquainted.
(L. escula: a
slope)
espressive;
adj., Speaking in
a hyperactive way, bordering on nonsensical.
(Ital. espresso:
a concentrated coffee drink)
ethier;
n., The dull speaker
usually placed on the agenda in order to numb the audience in advance of
a potentially troublesome presentation. "Dr. Freundlich thought he'd
look better if he gave his talk right after Wigbright's colorless report.
Instead, his audience had been rendered dormal by his choice of predecessor,
a notorious ethier."
(Fr. ethier:
anaesthesiologist)
etidorial;
n., A document that
changes in content overnight with no explanation. This phenomenon usually
occurs where no one claims final responsibility for the body of work, and
is the result of one or more independent clandestine revisions by members
of the group that produced it.
(It. etidore
allia ablia: to rinse a stain on borrowed clothing.)
eudiotic;
n., An absurd truth.
adj., True while seemingly contradictory. Also eudiocy, eudiot.
(Gr. Eu: true,
truly + idios: moronic)
eunimbic;
adj., Intentionally
sesquipedalian in order to obfuscate content.
(Gr. Eu: true,
pure + nimbos: clouds)
euphasia;
n., a delusional
state where the sufferer willingly suspends the knowledge that he or she
has lost touch with reality. Also euphasic.
(Gr. eu phasia:
chosen condition)
eustanous, eustaneity;
adj. obsolete, esp. technology or its use.
"Crockett remained on call for years, owing to the board's unwillingness
to replace the mainframe. Hus eustanous code would not allow migration
to another system."
(Gr. Eu stannos: pure tin)
Evans Orb;
n., Theoretical perfection attained by fortitous
addition of an unforeseen component. "Every member of the project
team was secretly counting on some sort of Evans Orb event, knowing that
their continued employment was at stake."
(Archit. Evans Orb Theory: Existing structures,
features, and spaces around a site always predifine design limits)
exalate;
v., To yield out of frustration to an unyielding
yet inferior argument. To capitulate.
(corr. exhalation)
excalate;
v., To harden one's
position in the face of an unyielding yet inferior argument.
(L. Ex calcalare: to harden like stone)
excapit;
adj., Without forethought
or planning.
(L. ex capitis
capita: off the top of the head)
excessory;
adj. Uninvited and
unnecessary assistance, generally well intended and useless.
(L. ex cessoram:
beyond the stopping place)
ex cetera;
adj. in a fashion
typical of a former spouse, especially where reinforcing the propriety
of the divorce. abbr: ect.
(L. outside that
which would logically follow)
exdystic;
adj., Curmudgeonly.
n., A devil's advocate.
(Gr. ex dystos:
from the opposing view)
exholibate;
adj., Bereft of
positive value; reduced to the most negative form. Also Aholibate.
(L. ex holibare:
after digestion)
expact;
n., The damage left
by the sudden departure of a key employee; a gaping hole in the organizational
chart. "The expact of Irene's was evident throughout Engineering
-- all of the old rivalries came back with a vengence.'
(L. ex pacto:
to punch outward)
expecial;
adj. passe; out-of-fashion.
Where public acceptance of a topic fades into bored tolerance. Also ecspecial,
exspecial, exspecially.
(L. formerly
+ special)
expension;
n., The unforeseen debt incurred on company business, which must later
be justified and documented to an onerous degree.
extablish;
v., To remove or
expell abrubtly, often with real or impied violence.
(L. ex tabula:
crossed off the list)
exter;
extrapetent;
adj., untouched
by proximate scandal, problem or error; unwittingly or luckily beyond danger.
n., a lone survivor or one of few survivors of a disaster, spared by dumb
luck alone.
(L. extra: beyond
+ Gr. bdein: to break wind)
extraploitation;
n., The use of another
project's budget or resources toaugment your own, often accomplished through
intramural billing
(Eng. comb: extra+exploit
)
extrapulate;
v., To convert data
into a form credible to the public it is meant to mislead.
(L. extra + pulare:
to twist further )
exquithent;
adj., burned out.
Also quithent.
(Turk. qitta:
cold ashes)
exstriction;
n., An on-the-fly
interpretation of legal code, passed off as exact text from legal document
or regulation in question. Also exstrict, exstrictly.
(L. ex + stricta:
without limitation)
fanuc, fanuck;
n., An unpleasant subject whose time has come, often an item that has
had an agenda of non-issues formulated around it .
(Turk. fanuk:
a washed-out bridge)
fecule;
n., An item which
draws significance only from it's repellent nature, such as an insulting
epithet bearing no correlation with the actual character of the impugned
party. Also feculate, feculant.
(L. fecula: a
speck of dried excrement)
fedorate;
v., To dress up
an old, tried-and-true technology in order to sell it. "Once the
book, Just Sound It Out was fedorated and republished with its flashy
New-Age name, Limbic Spelling and Cortex Reading: A Literacy Revolution,
the publisher could not keep up with demand."
(Eng. fedora:
a utilitarian felt hat of cyclical popularity since the early twentieth
century.)
ferion;
n., A messenger
bringing old or unimportant news; an announcement which is delivered after
the event it announces. Also ferionic, ferionism.
(Span. ferione:
a scrap metal dealer)
fermentortion;
n., A calculated
delay meant to torment one's opponent with uncertainty.
(comb. ferment
+ torsion )
ficure;
fiditure;
n., Any core belief
which underlies and validates the world view of an individual or group;
a philosophical lynchpin. Also fiditive.
(L. fide: faith)
fimant;
adj. Obnoxiously
self-righteous. Also fimancy.
(Fr. fimant:
snob)
fixity;
n., An illusion of veracity or expertise, tendered by incompetents
and frauds, often by means of hellatinism, graming, inaptacy, and yaddage.
(Biology: fixity:
the seeming animation of a corpes by the movementss of maggots under the
skin)
flaccus;
n., a condition
of lack of meaningful facial expression, without physiological basis, which
reflects a state of emotional ambiguity.
(L. flacidus: limp; lifeless)
flarbage;
n., discarded material
from flower shops; any perfumed refuse. Any worthless offer superficially
enhanced with equally worthless inducements.
(Engl. flower
+ garbage)
fleric;
n., A monks chasuble
containing forcefully obtained loot or alms. The container of "Gods' tax".
adv., capriciously abusive, such as the servicing obtained from lower classmen
during hazing initiation.
(orig.
uncert.)
fleskible;
flister;
see phlystre
flustrate;
v., To make a bad
situation worse by reactive incompetence.
(orig.
uncert.)
folostitude;
n., A silent but
very public suffering of real or imagined injuries to pride, esteem or
reputation; maudlin stoicism.
(Gr. folostos:
a loud silence)
frabney;
n., the word used
to designate any object for which the speaker does not know or cannot remember
the name. See also fusterus.
(Frabney's U-Need-It
Stores, famous for their slogan, "If Frabney's don't got it, you didn't
need it!")
frickly;
adj., Well suited
only to a single narrow task or usage.
(enology: a set
of parallel screens of dissimilar mesh, mounted on a long pole, used to
remove submerged materials of a specific size range from primary fermentation
vats)
frivia;
frust;
n., Undeserving
survivors of any reorganizion or corporate purge.
(Janitorial jargon
for the line of dirt or dust left at the edge of a dustpan.)
fulhask;
v., To predictably
escalate a tantrum or outburst to socially innappropriate levels, in reaction
to specific triggers. "Everyone knew the CEO would be fulhasking
by the time the minutes of the last meeting were read."
(Gaelic. f'ulhagh:
squall or hailstorm)
funative;
n., A statement
which, although grammatically correct, does not seem so. Logic: the most
technically correct form.
(L. funatum:
off balance)
fundulent;
adj., Pencil-necked;
geeky or nerdy. Having the will and disdosition of a njidvaark.
(L. fundula:
a little neck)
fusterus;
n., the word used
to designate a second object for which the speaker does not know or cannot
remember the name, now used only in cominbation with "frabney" qv, as in
"There was a frabney mounted at the inner corner of the stair with a fusterus
poking up through it."
(corruption of
Foster S, ref. to Foster S. Frabney, founder of Frabney's U-Need-It Stores)
fwah;
n., An unmistakably dismissive gesture made with the eyes.
(Tibetan. fwah: the only negative utterance allowed by Buddhist
monks)
fystic;
n., A doomsayer
with a good track record of accuracy.
(comb. fatal
+ mystic)
garfle;
v., to stall or
kill a project by means of an impossible requirement beyond one's control.
(acronym: Get
A Ruling From Legal Experts)
gecche;
n., A hardened slime
or gurry of unknown organic origin. Boilerplate verbiage used in official
documentation where a series of related subjects are treated separately;
necessary but cumbersome supporting material in official documentation.
(It. gecchio:
to gag or choke)
gerbate;
adj., doomed or
predestined to failure. v., to embark upon or accept responsibility for
a spuctant. Also gerbation, gerbative.
( Engl. gerbil,
orig. Xhosa: xerbi: digs blindly)
ghual;
v. to choke from
excessive emotion while speaking.
(orig.
uncert.)
gigobyte;
n., A block of orphaned
or corrupted data which wastes space on a computer drive, often the result
of useless downloads from the internet. Unwanted hard drive clutter
such as cookies, unsolicited applets, history files.
(comb. GIGO:
garbage in garbage out + byte)
gither;
n., A project halted
and neither restarted or eliminated. v., To suspend or terminate a process
due to loss of purpose or focus.
(OE gaether:
to become lost)
glerg;
n., The silence
that follows a combolete statement, often caused by a ghualing incident.
Any telling silence or pause.
(Lap: a gag made
from a bolus of moss; reindeer cud)
gnathage;
n., The unedited
physical output of a focus group or brainstorming session. Any disorderly
heap of outsized or odd-sized sheets of paper.
(Gr. gnathatos:
cud)
gradue;
n., Top of line
equipment or technology acquired through special funding of a project,
ostensibly justified, which is retained long after the project or funding
has expired. As in,"Cool, huh? It's my gradue from the Wright-Ritter study.
It gets lousy mileage, though!"
(Fr. gras doux:
sweet fat; refers to oil glands adjacent to the tails of waterfowl)
grame;
n., An aural treadmill. That portion of
a lecture which only serves to thicken the tympanic membranes of the hearer;
anything said after the listener has tuned out or passed out.
(Fr. Grame etenite: the eternal speech)
grampf;
n., a sharp, loud
exhalation or snort meant to demand attention from an individual who is
ignoring, or inattentive to, the snorter; hence, an unwanted but irresistable
interruption of productive work.
(ME grampus:
killer whale, poss. corrupt. L. craasus: fat + piscis: fish)
greht;
adj., Advantageous
to one's opponent.
(Scot. greht:
a sword dropped during battle which is then used against its owner.)
gription;
n., Mental and emotional
unflappability; that fraction of one's shit which is "together."
(Eng. comb: grip,
grit, traction)
gutch;
n., The first budget
forecast for a fiscal cycle, often portending layoffs, cutbacks and organizational
misery.
(Eng. corrupt.
contraction: gut shot)
habble;
n., A serial dwelling
place not associated with a single culture; a natural shelter used by transients
or sojourners; modern usage: an office cubicle to which interns or new
hires are initially assigned.
(corr. L. habere:
to live)
halebopp;
n. an inopportune
idea or suggestion that glances off the perception of the intended audience,
leaving no mark; fatally ahead of its time.
(naval radar
term: unidentified but insignificant object)
halk;
v., To clear one's
throat or otherwise audibly signal without words one's disapproval. Also
halker, halkery.
(Samoan. haalaka:
to big to swallow)
haplogy;
n., The shortening,
abbreviation or intentional slurring or distortion of a word, phrase or
name in order to impart disdain, disrespect or dishonor.
(Gr. haplo: to
halve)
hattle;
v., To deny ownership
of one's work after the experiment failed or the data was found to be useless.
(OE. hattel:
a neighbors livestock)
havile;
heddle;
v. to issue empty threats, especially
those involving legal or administrative actions.
(Welsh. [mispronounced] heddlu: police)
hellatine;
n., a person who
coins or habitually uses words of inappropriately mixed derivation, often
Greek and Latin, and usually in an attempt to impress the listener or reader.
Hellatines are often afflicted with susquasyllabism. Also hellatinism,
hellatinize.
(Gr. hellen:
a Greek + L. latinus : a Latin)
henessity;
n., Something
you cannot abide in a place that you must be in.
(Gael. h'endagh
cael: refering to the place of a clans' last place of defense.)
heop;
herck;
v., To attempt to
manipulate an unwieldy or extremely heavy object. Also herc, herk, hurk,
hurkk, herkh, hercking, herkingly.
(corrupt. of
Gr. Hercules)
hodge;
v., to delay a meeting
by claiming that every speaker misunderstands your point. "The ineffectual
chariman was unable to prevent the meeting from being hodged, and John
had once again averted a vote.
(OE. hod; a load
of wet mortar, transported on a board between the mixer and the mason.
At a construction site, the hod-carrier has right of way owing to the weight
and timeliness of his delivery.)
hornerc;
n., A simple computer
error easily corrected.
(Serb. Hrnerc:
stumble)
hornrec;
n., A simple computer
error once easily corrected, irretrievably compounded by panicked action.
(corrupt. Serb.
Hrnerc: stumble)
houk;
howaresis;
n., A litany of health problems recited in response
to a simple, well-meant greeting; often a casp prodrome.
(psychol., self identity derived from poor health)
hyphenite;
n., a devotee of excessive, occasionally obsessive hyphen usage.
The practice is a form of verbal pack-ratting or hoarding. Also hyphenism.
(Roman Cath. St. Hyphenia: patron saint of chain makers)
hyponym;
hystericate;
v., To whip up fear or hysteria for one's own purposes --usually to
draw attention to oneself. Media: to grossly overinflate a small
story on a slow news day.
(comb.: hysteria + fabricate)
ichnology;
n., The study of
bureaucratic system dynamics.
(Gr. ichnecos:
school of fish)
ictify;
v., To mistakenly
deem an object or individual part of a group featuring some common character
or form.
(L. ex locus
ictus: out of proper place)
ificate;
iffle;
n. A unique ability
or act which, although impressive, has no possibility of practical application,
As in: "Grandad Upton's famous iffle, touching the tip of his nose with
his tongue, both revolted and fascinated his assembled grandchildren."
(corrupt. reduct.:
trifle)
ilrelevant;
adj., Supporting
the opinions without supporting the facts;
(comb. illogic
+ relevant)
Imbureficate;
v., The process
by which bright, competent individuals are rendered more and more incompetent
within the workplace. The Imburefication Theorem states that three factors
are involved. 1. the starting IQ of the individuals. 2. the size
of the bureaucracy, and 3. the cumulative length of service of the individuals.
A fourth factor has been proposed by some bureaucratologists, and that
is the reach of the bureaucracy. i.e. how many people does the agency have
the power to impact. Thus a federal agency would have a greater reach than
a state agency, and so forth. However, the fourth factor remains an unproven,
though promising, factor. The Imburefication Theorem can be written as
a formula. IQb= [*(IQ1)/n] - [*(YS1) * n], where IQb is the Bureau's
IQ and IQ1 is an individual's pre-imburefication IQ and n is the number
of bureaucrats in the agency or department and YS1 is years of service
of each individual. The fourth factor, as proposed, would be calculated
by dividing n by the population "served", then dividing above formula
by the result. As previously stated, this is controversial.
comb.:
imbecile + bureaucracy)
imbimbate;
adj., Degraded.
v., To degrade or cheapen; to make light of in a vulgar way.
(It. bimbina:
a young and inexperienced prostitute)
imbule;
v., To artificially
inflate value or importance; to pad a budget, especially by use of ambiguous
arithmetic factors. Also imbular, imbulate.
(L. bulere: to
forcefeed)
immity;
n., A helpless knowing
what is about to happen or be said..
(L. immito: the
next)
implical;
adj., dislodged
only with difficulty or force; intransigent. Also
(archaic)
implictal or
(Brit.) emplical.
(L. plictere:
to floss teeth)
imploy;
v., To assign to
a bottomless project or nire; stellenbosch; to render anorchile by assignment.
(L. implicare:
to involve)
impneum;
v., to inflate or
enlarge artificially.
(L. im: into
+ pneumare: to blow air)
impulcate;
inaptacy;
n., a eudiotic nonsequitur;
a true statement or utterance which is completely unrelated in context,
form or content to the discussion within which it is made. Also inapticular,
inapticularity.
(L. in apta:
not suited)
incalcitrant;
adj., Unable to
stand firm or hold a position; spineless.
(L. In calcalare:
crumbling)
incibe;
v., To stash or
cache items of dubious or esoteric value.
(L. in ciborium:
in the pantry)
inconsciable;
adj., Pseudoscientific
quackery; intentionally presented in scientific format without science,
in order to mislead.
(L. in conscio:
without knowledge)
indative;
adj., Having no other function than to
distract.
(Gr. Indata: shiny)
inducula;
n. An illogical
statement intended to serve as a bridge between to logical statements;
the leap of faith which falls short.
(L. intro ducto;
lead up to)
ineffitible;
adj., Noble or charismatic, so as to unspire
fierce loyalty.
(in+effit+ible: not subject to effitism)
inexorbitant;
infidial;
see invidial
infraspecular;
adj., dubious; warranting
closer inspection. Meant to deceive by ambiguity or obscurity.
(L. Proverb:
Infraspecule hippo ante emptorendat! Look under the horse before you buy
it!)
infurcate;
adj., Pinned down;
trapped. v. To entrap or catch red-handed.
(L. in tinam
furcam: on the tines of a fork)
inine;
innare;
v., To gloat or
to publish the failings or foibles of another.
(L. in nares:
into the nostrils)
inobticular;
Broadly related
but not pertinent to a context. Also obticular.
(L. in: not +
ob: of + ticula: detail)
insensial;
insipe;
v. to mock or tear
down by inconsciable argument. "The snake oil industry may be counted
on to insipe regulatory science, using the argument that their own technology
is superior.
(L. insipio:
getting worse)
inspicious;
adj. probing, scrutinizing,
penetrating with evil intent. "Among special prosecutors, Judge Gatmon
was one of the most inspicious; feared on both sides of the aisle."
(L. in spicia
fraxis: to rip into pieces)
institutional
amnesia;
n., The polar opposite
of institutional memory; how institutions continually repeat the same mistakes
(source: Weinstein's
Theory of Corporate Pathology)
instrictive;
adj., that facet
of an argument which defines or identifies an opinion as extreme.
(combination:
instruct + restrict)
instring;
n., An item mentioned
only in passing which is worthy of expansion or deeper study; diamond in
the rough. v., to include such an item within text while omitting elaboration.
(computer programming
jargon: inner segment of a string variable
intentive;
n., An obvious goal,
mission, or mandate needlessly and redundantly stated as part of a slogan.
(periaddititive
form: intent)
interantelar;
adj., Blunt, tactless,
and deadly accurate.
(L. inter antelarum:
between the horns)
interoperationale;
n., The construct of sham in-house transactions used to justify project
design flaws.
(comb.: inter + operation + rationale)
interrate, reinterrate;
v., To smother a project or idea with words, particularly words from
a fool. "Once old Kelnwick got started rambling about the potentialities
of the Booksure grant proposal, everyone present mentally wrote it off."
(Eng. inter: to bury the dead)
intoduce, intoduction;
v., To introduce
a third party to an unpleasant conversation or situation as a means to
extricate oneself. "Chris intoduced Tony to the Safety Committee
at their weekly meeting and thought to himself, 'Free at last!'"
(L. into ducto
forcare: to drag in by force)
intracopiate;
adj., In the enviable
position of excessive, duplicate and redundant funding; within a predictably
generous series of funding cycles.
(L. intra situ
copia: in the lap of plenty)
intradent;
adj., An annoying
concession, given in haste, which does not impede the intent or outcome
of negotiations, but rankles nonetheless.
(L. intra dentum:
between the teeth)
intrepulant;
adj., Possessing
great sousciance in the face of overwhelming apathy. The mental status
achieved before a last misguided self-trepanation attempt.
(L. intra pula:
between vacancies)
inverbiate;
v., To create a previously nonexis