Thursday, January 27, 2011

Words that don't exist, but should

There should be a word for...
  • ... sorrow caused by the good fortune of another.
  • ... the feeling of vertigo caused by jumping from a high place... in a video game.
  • ... the sinking feeling from hearing impenetrable Cockney rhyming slang, and knowing that you'll never have the cultural context to know what was said.
  • ... the realization that you can probably find anything you want with Google, including a Cockney rhyming slang dictionary.
  • ... recognizing fonts by name, and having strong feelings about them.
  • ... actually being worried about Cartesian Doubt, and wondering what you can do about it in your real life.
  • ... small objects lost under the furniture, and rediscovered years later.


    Is there already a word for...
    • ... nostalgia for things you didn't like when they were current, like Will Smith or slap bracelets?
    • ... regretting something you're about to do?
    • ... setting up a prank on your future self?  (I swear I have done this.  I was incredibly bored.)
    • ... taking retribution for something that hasn't happened yet?
    • ... checking your favorite blog for updates, for the third time in five minutes?
    • ... the sense of achievement derived from doing things that you've heard to be impossible, like sneezing only once?
    If there are actually words for any of these, please mention them in the comments.

      2 comments:

      1. * ... sorrow caused by the good fortune of another.

        ENVY


        * ... the feeling of vertigo caused by jumping from a high place... in a video game.

        Gonna make this one up: Virtugo

        ReplyDelete
      2. Oh right, envy. Dang. At least you didn't point out that I recycled that from Facebook.

        I heart Virtugo.

        ReplyDelete