Nemo (or, "My Life's Amibition")
In this squalid life of waning ambitions, I determined today to add "see own word included in dictionary" to my "Do Before I Die" list.
This aspiration occured to me quite suddenly when I began to daydream during someone else's conversation. I "woke up" just in time to mishear the latter part of the dialogue.
What was said: Should we send it to [some guy who's name starts with "N" and ends with "O"].
What I heard: Should we Nemo him, then?
I was about to comment on how clever it was that this woman had just used the name "Nemo" as a verb when I realized... she hadn't (rather, she had just misspoken someone's name as such).
So while the conversation continued without me, I defined "nemo" as a verb and wrote a few sample sentences in my head. I waited until it was my turn to speak.
"So, what you're saying is, the meeting I just went to — where no one was there but me — that meeting was unoffically cancelled without any notice? OK. Gotcha. Hey, what do you think about using the word 'Nemo' as a verb? You know, like with 'finding Nemo,' only letting 'Nemo' stand on its own? As in, 'I'll try to nemo my boss and see what he says?'"
As I walked away, I realized the flaw to these semantics: I mean, "find" is one syllable, where as "Nemo" is two. So we're not saving time by substituting "find" with "Nemo," but darned if it doesn't add a little flavor to this dry language.
(And people at work think I'm "strange"!)
Labels:
brain chew,
neologisms
5 comments:
There would be a difference between finding and nemo-ing. Finding would be simple, like finnding your car keys. Nemo-ing would imply that the find-ee didn't want to be found and there would be a rigamarole to find the person. "I spent half an hour nemoing my boss before I found him in the supply cabinet 'Doing and inventory'." "I guess it is time to nemo Shelia so she can sign my time sheet."
Just a thought.
~BPP
I swear to you I have my own language that only a few understand, I'm thinking of adding Nemo now..
BPP - Very good point. I'll revise my definition accordingly, and will be sure to footnote you in the M-W entry. Though I might also add that — rather than not wantto be found, "nemoing" might simply imply the other half of your comment... the "rigamarole."
[As I recall, Nemo wanted to be found... I think. It's be awhile since I've seen the film.]
Winter - Oh, please do. Only through use can of my senseless banter will I ever achieve my goal. Though I suspect the folks at Pixar would get equal — if not complete – credit for the entry.
You are absolutely right. It is the rigamarole that is implied. Nemo did want to be found. Unlike my co-workers. I have to Nemo all the time. If you are trying to get someone to respond to an email is that Nemailing them?
~BPP
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