Purely for giggles, what words should exist but don't?
Bribee: a person who has been bribed or receives a bribe
Briber: a person who pays a bribe
Breakfasted: to have taken breakfast. I'm not sure if this is already recognised. I hear people say "let's breakfast on the patio" or "we'll breakfast at mother's then we'll go shopping". Are they shortening the phrase "to take/eat breakfast" or is breakfasting a verb? I know it is derived from to break a fast. But then it would be "I broke fast at seven" rather than breakfasted/ate breakfast.
Words that should exist but don't
-
- Brown Belt
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:41 pm
- x 1031
- Willow
- Yellow Belt
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:25 pm
- Location: Polska, Kraków
- Languages: Русский (N), English, polski, deutsch
- x 119
Re: Words that should exist but don't
Rhian wrote:Purely for giggles, what words should exist but don't?
I won't be surprised, if natives use something like this in a colloquial speech just for fun
At least I'm constantly creating such kinds of neologisms in Russian.
0 x
-
- Brown Belt
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:41 pm
- x 1031
Re: Words that should exist but don't
Willow wrote:Rhian wrote:Purely for giggles, what words should exist but don't?
I won't be surprised much, if natives use something like this in a colloquial speech just for fun
At least I'm constantly creating such kinds of neologisms in Russian.
I think there should be a word for people who are incompetent at styling hair. I'm thinking haarcack. Hair + cackhanded I am most definitely haarcack
0 x
- Willow
- Yellow Belt
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Fri Dec 23, 2016 12:25 pm
- Location: Polska, Kraków
- Languages: Русский (N), English, polski, deutsch
- x 119
Re: Words that should exist but don't
Rhian wrote:Willow wrote:Rhian wrote:Purely for giggles, what words should exist but don't?
I won't be surprised much, if natives use something like this in a colloquial speech just for fun
At least I'm constantly creating such kinds of neologisms in Russian.
I think there should be a word for people who are incompetent at styling hair. I'm thinking haarcack. Hair + cackhanded I am most definitely haarcack
Not only you, I guess
My hair simply looks like a haystack, I mean I don't style my hair at all I just wash it and comb it.
0 x
- LinguaPony
- Orange Belt
- Posts: 141
- Joined: Mon Oct 23, 2017 7:50 am
- Location: Saratov, Russia
- Languages: Russian (N), English (Proficient), Italian (Intermediate), M. Chinese (Beginner), German (Just started), Yiddish (half-cooked A1, long since forgotten, but now queued for revival)
- Language Log: https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... =15&t=7160
- x 309
- Contact:
Re: Words that should exist but don't
Breakfasted, at least, exists.
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde:
Written in 1886.
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde:
So we all set of, the doctor, and the child's father, and our friend and myself, and passed the rest of the night in my chambers; and next day, when we had breakfasted, went in a body to the bank.
Written in 1886.
5 x
Check out www.lingostan.com.
-
- Brown Belt
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:41 pm
- x 1031
Re: Words that should exist but don't
LinguaPony wrote:Breakfasted, at least, exists.
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde:So we all set of, the doctor, and the child's father, and our friend and myself, and passed the rest of the night in my chambers; and next day, when we had breakfasted, went in a body to the bank.
Written in 1886.
So I have heard it! I'm a terrible one for insisting words exist but it turns out they are archaic or just do not exist. Now what about supped? I'm sure I have heard people say they "supped on" soup or whatever and they "supped at" half eight. Derived from supper of course.
0 x
- urubu
- White Belt
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 8:55 pm
- Location: Gütersloh (D)
- Languages: German (N), Dutch (C2), English, French, Portuguese, Indonesian, Esperanto Studying: Middle Egyptian, Coptic
- x 25
Re: Words that should exist but don't
Rhian wrote:Purely for giggles, what words should exist but don't?
Bribee: a person who has been bribed or receives a bribe
Briber: a person who pays a bribe
Both 'bribee' and 'briber' are in the OED, 'briber' also in smaller dictionaries like Collins, Chambers, New Oxford Dict of English.
4 x
- Carmody
- Black Belt - 1st Dan
- Posts: 1749
- Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 4:00 am
- Location: NYC, NY
- Languages: English (N)
French (B1) - Language Log: http://tinyurl.com/zot7wrs
- x 3409
Re: Words that should exist but don't
I too am fascinated by things for which there are no words.
I love hydrangea bushes in particular because they have such a wide range of colors as they come into bloom and then proceed to die slowly, spectacularly.
http://tinyurl.com/yd9wpngp
I love hydrangea bushes in particular because they have such a wide range of colors as they come into bloom and then proceed to die slowly, spectacularly.
http://tinyurl.com/yd9wpngp
1 x
-
- Brown Belt
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:41 pm
- x 1031
Re: Words that should exist but don't
Carmody wrote:I too am fascinated by things for which there are no words.
I love hydrangea bushes in particular because they have such a wide range of colors as they come into bloom and then proceed to die slowly, spectacularly.
http://tinyurl.com/yd9wpngp
I keep thinking of examples and telling myself I must post here but by today, when I have finally gotten round to posting, I cannot remember any decent examples.
0 x
-
- Brown Belt
- Posts: 1272
- Joined: Fri Jul 03, 2015 7:41 pm
- x 1031
Re: Words that should exist but don't
Carmody wrote:I too am fascinated by things for which there are no words.
I love hydrangea bushes in particular because they have such a wide range of colors as they come into bloom and then proceed to die slowly, spectacularly.
http://tinyurl.com/yd9wpngp
The colouriety of hydrangea bushes is wonderful!
Edit: I'm not sure I like 'colouriety'.
0 x
Return to “General Language Discussion”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests