Ilene Evans Neologisms 11-17
Linguistics



1. Netflix –the name of a company featuring the kind of movies you can get over the internet that is convenient and economical. The word is a combination of two abbreviations and then a change for phonetic word play. “net” is short for Internet, flix is slang for films and the plural is made by changing the s t z and so it sounds the same as fliks to shorten the word further.
2. Bebonk (n.) Mary Streets, my neighbor, friend and first grade teacher has a way of coming up with new names for things inspired by the need for euphemisms around the children she teaches. They are making up words too. A bebonk is a silly person, a person acting in a silly manner. “Ya bebonk!“ as if to say, “You goofball!”
3. Schooch (v.) to both slide, and scoot across the floor at the same time – That is something I made up while teaching creative movement. I did not realize it was a made-up word until someone I was teaching with pointed it out to me.
4. Dope - adjective - - Definition of dope: very good, excellent; COOL. 1807, Amer.Eng., "sauce, gravy," from Du. doop "thick dipping sauce." Extension to "drug" is 1889, from practice of smoking semi-liquid opium preparation. Meaning "foolish, stupid person" is older (1851) and may have a sense of "thick-headed." Sense of "inside information" (1901) may come from knowing before the race which horse had been drugged to influence performance. Dope-fiend is attested from 1896.
5. Log In/Log On - The process of identifying oneself to a computer, usually by entering one's username and password.
6. Username - A sequence of characters, different from a password, that is used as identification and is required when logging on to a multiuser computer system, LAN, bulletin board system, or online service. Also called user ID.
7. Clubbing - the repair man/electrician used this word in our conversation. It refers to the nighttime activity of going to one club or bar after another and keeping a party going with a group of people.
8. Afghanisation” - The BBC’s Elettra Neysmith says “Afghanisation” is a popular concept at the moment within NATO. She says it has been cynically described as a “get out of jail free” card for Western countries mired in the deepening Taliban insurgency.