I made up a word in a dream last night: “lacunescent”, when something is missing its defining characteristic. For example, a murder mystery without a murder, a car without its engine. Is there a real word that has this meaning?
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Replying to @CoralineAda
"sine qua non" describes the thing left out (cc
@tuxedo_and_sass )3 replies 0 retweets 2 likes -
I'm also thinking of some Lakoffian metaphors that are close, but carry troubling connotations in their historical baggage. I name them below, with the Lakoffian in ALL CAPS:
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De-fanged or de-clawed (TEETH ARE POWER) Unleaded (POISON IS EFFECTIVENESS) Neutered, castrated, or un-manned (VIRILITY IS ESSENCE)
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But I'm with
@tuxedo_and_sass : "lacunescent" is a beautiful word.1 reply 0 retweets 2 likes -
Replying to @trochee @tuxedo_and_sass
I may need to use this as a song title…
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Replying to @CoralineAda @tuxedo_and_sass
Seems like a better description of the class of things that Alanis Morrissette described in IRONIC than the word "ironic"
It's ten thousand spoons / when all you need is a knife / it is lacunescent — don't you think
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