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A Thread of Words
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sockpuppetinga nice cosy word for a nasty practise: having an online identity for purposes of deception. So in Goodreads, there are authors posing as multiple readers, to boost their profile. Hopefully all the identities we have in "All About Books" are genuine, although I was reminded of this devious practise yesterday :(
although I was reminded of this devious practise yesterday :(Oh no! here?
Yes, although I have to stress it's only a suspicion. In the "What are you Reading?" thread comment 2190, a reader posted the 9th reference to the same book, although she has only made a total of 14 comments in this group in all. It's just starting to look a bit fishy. Leslie first noticed this a few months ago.(edited to correct the number)
Jean wrote: "sockpuppetinga nice cosy word for a nasty practise: having an online identity for purposes of deception. So in Goodreads, there are authors posing as multiple readers, to boost their profile. Hop..."
Okay, do I need to come clean now and admit I am actually a cat? :)
But in all seriousness, sockpuppeting is a horrid thing to do.
@ Jean: Sockpuppeting - That is an interesting word. Thanks for letting us know of it.
It is horrid, isn't it? It's wonderful to have all the benefits of the internet, such as the ability to discuss books with you lovely people, but then just a few rotten apples have to spoil it all. I simply cannot understand how some folk can deliberately invent computer viruses either :(A nice descriptive word though!
Jean wrote: "sockpuppetinga nice cosy word for a nasty practise: having an online identity for purposes of deception. So in Goodreads, there are authors posing as multiple readers, to boost their profile. Hop..."
People do that? That's really desperate! And I agree with you Jean, it does take some of the fun away from discussing books here.
Jean wrote: "It is horrid, isn't it? It's wonderful to have all the benefits of the internet, such as the ability to discuss books with you lovely people, but then just a few rotten apples have to spoil it all...."I saw msg #2160 in Fiction - What are you reading- where a reader responds to one of my comments? is that the one you mean?
Jean wrote: "Yes, although I have to stress it's only a suspicion. In the "What are you Reading?" thread comment 2160, a reader posted the 9th reference to the same book, although she has only made a total of 1..."Did you notice this again today in the May nominations thread? I had deja vu, then realised why.
Sorry Bette, it should be comment 2190. I'll edit my post :)Pink, yes, so did I and my heart sank :( That makes 10 "recommendations" for one book, out of a total of 14 comments in this group.
If you are doing this and it is genuine, then please would you say something else? Such as why you are so taken by this book and want us all to read it? If it's not genuine then I am cross, because I now cannot forget the title and the author of this book, which was not my choice. I feel that this is a sort of subliminal brain-washing.
Jean, you have definitely been subliminally brainwashed! Luckily I've put the title and author out of my head, as I realised it was just another post about the same book by the same person....this has been cropping up every so often since October, so I thought the best response was to ignore it. I commented here after I noticed you mention it above :)
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coulophobia: a fear of clowns. I suffer from this.
Bette Book Babble wrote: "coulophobia: a fear of clowns. I suffer from this."This is apparently not uncommon! Personally I don't like clowns that much but they don't scare me...
Great word :)
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They creep me out to the max.
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I'm not keen on mannequins - there's probably a name for that too...
Jean wrote: "I'm not keen on mannequins - there's probably a name for that too..."Pediophobia - I just checked!
Well I don't think I'll be bandying that word around somehow!
Jean wrote: "I'm not keen on mannequins - there's probably a name for that too..."I have never heard of that dislike before.
Gill wrote: "Jean wrote: "I'm not keen on mannequins - there's probably a name for that too..."Pediophobia - I just checked!"
Jean wrote: "Well I don't think I'll be bandying that word around somehow!"
hahahahaha.....I would have thought that we all have pediophobia, never would have guessed it meant that though!
LauraT wrote: "Same here: I find them sad, not scary, but I knew that people sometimes were scared by them, not only kids. I've not read It but I think it deals with such a figure"It does, I'm currently reading it and I don't think I will look at clowns the same way again!
Charbel wrote: "LauraT wrote: "Same here: I find them sad, not scary, but I knew that people sometimes were scared by them, not only kids. I've not read It but I think it deals with such a figure"It..."
And that American serial killer Gacy who paints clowns is also enough to put anyone off them.
spiflicate: a light-hearted term for punishment (generally of a child), where that punishment is not intended to be carried out
"If you don't stop pushing your carrot sticks up your nose, Johnny, I'm going to spiflicate you"
B3tt3 Booklover wrote: "spiflicate: a light-hearted term for punishment (generally of a child), where that punishment is not intended to be carried out
"If you don't stop pushing your carrot sticks up your nose, Johnny..."
Brilliant example Bette! LOl!
Ah, many's the time I've spiflicated a child because they were pushing carrot sticks up their nose... Great one, Bette! :)
Funnily enough, I'd have thought that was a perfect example of "pediophobia" - until Gill put me right! It's actually "pedophobia" or "pediaphobia".
Google just asked me "Did you mean "having children"?" when I entered "hating children". Funny, that - I wouldn't have thought it a rarity. I came across lots of teachers with pedophobia when I was working... :D
But hating isn't really the same as fearing - I have always associated the "phobia" suffix with fearing.
Well, I was commenting in jest Leslie, but yes, technically you are correct.Although don't you think that in many cases hatred is rooted in fear? The children in The Midwich Cuckoos always give me the heebie jeebies :D
Charbel wrote: "B3tt3 Booklover wrote: "spiflicate: a light-hearted term for punishment (generally of a child), where that punishment is not intended to be carried out
"If you don't stop pushing your carrot sti...
Brilliant example Bette! LOl! "
I have to admit that is the Urban Dictionary's example not mine. Nice to know though that my parents, who often threatened to spiflicate my twin and I, were ahead of their time (1970s)in their use of words!
Our Mum often said: "if you two don't stop teasing your baby sister, I will spiflicate you both". Just the word 'spiflicate' was enough to make us shrink off to our bedroom in fear, lol.
Jean wrote: "Well, I was commenting in jest Leslie, but yes, technically you are correct.Although don't you think that in many cases hatred is rooted in fear? The children in The Midwich Cuckoos..."
Yes I do think that most hatred is rooted in fear, especially generalized hate (as in "I hate all ---"). Specific hate though is usually grounded in vengeance and retaliation, don't you think?
Yes, I agree Leslie. And this talk of "vengeance and retaliation" has made me want to read a crime/mystery novel! Time I should be getting on to the next "Morse", perhaps. Ignorance often comes into the mix too, I think, although of course those experiencing the fear and venting their hatred will probably not realise it. Which brings me neatly back to the subject of this thread. Because such "intellectually challenged" people,
couldn't knock the skin off a rice pudding!
lurgy: (UK, slang) A fictitious, highly infectious disease; often used in the phrase "the dreaded lurgi", sometimes as a reference to flu-like symptomsA word which fascinated me when I first heard it and had to admit I had no idea what it meant.
Actually Bette, I often use that phrase! As well as exclaiming crossly, "Poxy thing!" when others might swear at an object.If someone is ill but don't look it, they could be said to look goodly-badly. And if they do recover from a serious illness, then they've cheated the worms rather than climbing the golden staircase!
Jean wrote: "Actually Bette, I often use that phrase! As well as exclaiming crossly, "Poxy thing!" when others might swear at an object.If someone is ill but don't look it, they could be said to look goodly-b..."
I thought you might, Jean. I hadn't heard of your other terms and do like cheated the worms a lot. My bestie is British and she often says "oh, sod it!"; I have picked that one up from her.
The thing about 'lurgy' is that it sounds suitably awful; kind of like 'phlegm' which sounds and looks equally as horrid as it is!
It does, doesn't it? lurgy is such a nice expressive word :) I don't think I've ever used "sod" in that context, though many others around me do :) I think it's usually derived from "sodomy" rather than a grassy sod... (Just in case you are deciding what context or which company it would be appropriate to use it in. Possibly not an old folks' home unless you want them to get to the pearly gates a bit quicker!)
Gosh, aren't there a lot of euphemisms for dying once you start thinking about it! LOL
Jean wrote: "It does, doesn't it? lurgy is such a nice expressive word :) I don't think I've ever used "sod" in that context, though many others around me do :) I think it's usually derived from "sodomy" rat..."
Is it really derived from 'sodomy'? I think I might edge that one out of my vocab:)
Bette - Yes, I've just checked in Wikipedia:"Sod in British English is a somewhat offensive, pejorative term for a person, derived from sodomite but rarely nowadays used with this meaning. As an insult, it is generally teamed with 'off', i.e., 'sod off' meaning to get lost/go away/f*** off."
I have inserted the asterisks in case Jenny gets cross, even though I am technically quoting! LOL
Just thought of another euphemism for dying - to pop your clogs
I have heard me friend say "oh, sod off" but I still think I'm going to purge it from my brain. I don't like the derivative.I like pop your clogs:)
Ah you two crazy kids and all your euphemisms for dying!
Don't any just pop into your mind then, Charbel? Oooo here's another - pushing up daisies!
I guess in my childhood people never did call a spade a spade
Jean wrote: "Don't any just pop into your mind then, Charbel? Oooo here's another - pushing up daisies!
I guess in my childhood people never did call a spade a spade "
Not as fast as you and Bette, but I can think of a few. kicked the bucket, passed on, passed away, six feet under, kissed the reaper, meeting St.Peter, snuffed.
That's about it.
That's better than me :) I love "kissed the reaper" - very Steven King!
Jean wrote: "Bette - Yes, I've just checked in Wikipedia:"I have inserted the asterisks in case Jenny gets cross, even though I am technically quoting! LOL"
Meeee?! Jean, you must have me confused with someone else, because honestly I speak like a Northern Irish farmer (no offense for NI farmers intended obviously ;)) at times and have often been called on swearing too 'bloody' much ;). I honestly don't care much if someone uses the f** word as long as it isn't directed at someone else, but I know others do, which is why 'avoid offensive language' ended up being a group rule.
PS: I think your quote is perfectly fine!Oh and learning plenty here, haven't heard of half of them!!!
I was just poking fun Jenny! I think of this as "your" thread, because you stated ulterior motives for setting it up! :D But I do think it's a good idea to have a group rule, so all can participate, regardless of their own conventions, beliefs or age, so I'll leave the asterisks there if that's OK.
We all know the word yuppie, which was originally coined for "Young Urban (or "upwardly mobile") Professional". Then came DINKY (Double Income No Kids Yet). But here are some that were new to me!SPURMO - Straight, Proud Unmarried Man Over 30
SADFAB - Single And Desperate For A Baby
CORGI - Couple Of Really Ghastly Individuals
SITCOM - Single Income, Two Children, Oppressive Mortgage
KIPPERS - Kids In Parental Property Eroding Retirement Savings
SKIERS - Spending their Kids Inheritance (on travel, health and leisure activities)
Anyone know any of these people? Or admit to being one? LOL
Jean wrote: "We all know the word yuppie, which was originally coined for "Young Urban (or "upwardly mobile") Professional". Then came DINKY (Double Income No Kids Yet). But here are some that were new to me!..."
LOL! Honestly this is completely new to me! I can't admit to being any myself, but I do know quite a few people who fit these descriptions.
All About Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words: A Writer's Guide to Getting It Right (other topics)Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words: A Writer's Guide to Getting It Right (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Enid Blyton (other topics)Enid Blyton (other topics)
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Are there such persons???"
farmers, maybe?" And Terri! Maybe she was a farmer in a previous life *grin*