I think some things never go out of style, and laughter is one of them.
I like to laugh.
I love to laugh.
I love to snigger, and snort, and giggle.
Chuckle, chortle, and guffaw.
And there’s something that’s guaranteed to make me laugh, but…
It has gone out of style.
And guess what?
I don’t care.
These days, I’ll take my laughs anyway I can get them, as long as they’re not at someone else’s expense.
What is that out-of-style-but-makes-me-laugh thing?
Definition: Any word that doesn’t appear in the dictionary, but should.
I don’t recall when I first encountered sniglets, but I soon realized that when I wanted a guaranteed laugh, to just go online and google them.
And oh – how I laugh. Sometimes to tears.
Let’s get started with a few, just to get warmed up:
Furbling: Having to wander through a maze of ropes at an airport or bank even when you’re the only person in line.
Lactomangulation: Manhandling the “open here” spout on a milk carton so badly that one has to resort to using the “illegal” side.
Slackjam: The condition of being trapped in one’s own trousers while trying to pull them off without first removing shoes.
Are you snickering?
Maybe even…chuckling?
I am.
Even after repeated readings, sniglets still make me laugh.
But – why did I say sniglets are out of style?
Because they originated 1980s, and that’s SO last century. (See coffee mug.)
During the ‘80s on HBO, in the comedy Not Necessarily the News, a guy named Rich Hall came up with the word “sniglets” – and the sniglets as well. Singlets became so popular that Hall went on to write five sniglets books, a daily panel in newspaper like this one…
…and create a sniglets game and calendars.
Hall inspired people to create their own sniglets, and they challenged others to do the same.
Like these:
Destinesia: When you get to where you were intending to go, but forget why you were going there in the first place.
Brakenoia: The act or urge of stepping on the brake on the passenger side of the car.
Afterclap: The last person who claps after everyone else has stopped.
Chairdrobe: Piling clothes on a chair in place of a closet or dresser; see also floordrobe.
Profanitype: Symbols used by cartoonists to replace swear words.
Cheedle: The residue left on one’s fingertips after consuming a bag of Cheetos.
In my research I learned that a sniglet is a neologism, “a newly coined word or expression” like webinar, malware and blogosphere.
And I got inspired to create a newly coined word:
Blinkerblind: Turning a corner in your car and then failing to notice that your blinker is still on.
I also learned – hurrah! – that sniglets aren’t as out-of-date as I’d thought!
Here are some more recent additions:
Textpectation: The anticipation felt when waiting for a response to a text.
Unlightening: Learning something that makes you dumber.
Columbusing: When white people claim to have discovered something that’s been around for years, decades or centuries.
And some creatives are concocting pandemic-related sniglets:
Pajamaflauge: The article of clothing you keep by your computer to hide the fact you are still wearing your pajamas.
Zoomkeeping: Cleaning only the parts of your house visible behind you when your webcam is turned on.
Zoomgloom: Extreme and unending videoconference fatigue.
Coronarage: The feeling when every giant corporate entity insists “We’re all in this together” when in fact you are home alone in your apartment.
Maskectomy: Ripping your mask off your face as soon as you get into your car.
Forgetties: Sort of like memories, but you want to forget them.
I’d be hard pressed to single out my favorite sniglet – my spellcheck hates them, but I love them all.
But I am especially fond of this one, probably because – I’ll admit it here, for the first time ever – I have done this:
I Hate Houseguests 