Double-Tongued Dictionary Recent Citations

Citation Queue These are recently added citations for catchwords that have not yet been researched or incorporated into a full dictionary entry. There is also a date-sorted archive which includes all citations, whether used in a full entry or not, as well as the full entries themselves.

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Werther effect n. Experts say the sometimes graphic reporting may have triggered a “Werther effect”—the term sociologists coined to refer to a surge in suicides in Europe after publication of Goethe’s tragic novel “The Sorrows of Young Werther” (Jan. 12, 2005) [full citation…]

exasperism n. For example, when the sink stopped up or the car wouldn’t start, Dad would heave a big sigh and say, “Life shore does get teejus.” Translation: “Life sure does get tedious.” It was his way of dealing with frustration in a humorous way. But it was also a great life lesson for me. Life does get “teejus” at times, doesn’t it? Tom Dodge, the sage of Midlothian, coined a great term for such expressions: “exasperisms.” (Jan. 12, 2005) [full citation…]

mandarinquat n. Mandarinquat is the clunky if accurate name coined for this small citrus hybrid, a cross between a mandarin orange and a kumquat. It is similar to calamansi, an ancient Asian cross between the two fruits that is rounder and often green, and tastes pretty much the same. (Jan. 11, 2005) [full citation…]

Salvador option n. The Pentagon’s latest approach is being called “the Salvador option”—and the fact that it is being discussed at all is a measure of just how worried Donald Rumsfeld really is.…The Pentagon is intensively debating an option that dates back to a still-secret strategy in the Reagan administration’s battle against the leftist guerrilla insurgency in El Salvador in the early 1980s. Then, faced with a losing war against Salvadoran rebels, the U.S. government funded or supported “nationalist” forces that allegedly included so-called death squads directed to hunt down and kill rebel leaders and sympathizers. (Jan. 11, 2005) [full citation…]

BUT n. In 2005, companies will take a more comprehensive business approach to security, making it the year of the “BUT.” BUT is a typical tech-industry, three-letter acronym that stands for Back, Up and Together.…“B,” or “Back,” means that companies will focus on securing the unprotected internal assets behind the network perimeter that are vulnerable to sophisticated hackers and rogue employees.…“U,” or “Up,” is short for “up the technology stack,” which is geek-speak for protecting critical applications themselves.…The final “T” stands for “Together,” which has two meanings. First off, it means integration.…“Together” also means users should expect more bundled security products that address a particular business problem. (Jan. 11, 2005) [full citation…]

bonus family n. The two coined a phrase to replace “stepfamilies,” a word they say often has a negative connotation. They decided on “bonus families,” because a bonus is a reward for a job well done. And, they say, “it’s hard work to be a good bonus parent.” (Jan. 11, 2005) [full citation…]

nouveau mod n. The nouveau rod is an even newer phenomenon. A custom-built creation with a modern chassis, assorted new technologies and an equally awesome engine, the nouveau rod features a handcrafted body that looks like some French coachbuilders suddenly warped themselves 80 years into the future. (Jan. 11, 2005) [full citation…]

resto mod n. Resto mod is a recent phenomenon in the collector car world. It refers to a vehicle created by combining what is basically an immaculately restored but stock-bodied collectable car with a modern suspension—independent rear and four-wheel discs—and a monster motor. (Jan. 11, 2005) [full citation…]

meinchang n. A new word, “meinchangs,” denotes employees who stare dumbly out the window because work has dwindled and layoffs are near. (Jan. 11, 2005) [full citation…]

moeng n. “Moengs” are very similar, and refer to those who use their spare time to study English on their mobile phones. (Jan. 11, 2005) [full citation…]

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