And the nominees are...

[muckefuck]

In the contest for Worse Neologism of the 21st Century, I'd like to get the nominations rolling early with a candidate that, though it may not ultimately stand the test of time, is certainly the one to beat:

Gestaltebana

I can't remember how monshu said its inventor defined it. It almost doesn't matter, does it? But it only makes matters worse to know that the context was pastoral studies. In case you're having trouble recognising the second element, it's ikebana. Ye Gods, it looks even more hideous in print than I thought it would!

Comments

[snowy-owlet.livejournal.com]

It makes my eyes hurt.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

And I figured that if anyone here could propose a serious challenger, it would be you. But I suppose your scientists are generally more competent in their coinaging than monshu's ministers.

[snowy-owlet.livejournal.com]

Yes, unfortunately most medical jargon is simply boring.

Mmmm...

[sconstant.livejournal.com]

Gestaltebanana split!

[carneggy.livejournal.com]

I particularly loathe Falloweeen, the term consumer-tracking groups use to describe the time frame in which people put up Fall-and-Halloween decorations increastingly early each year.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

I'm not even sure how to pronounce that!

The spelling makes me want to say the first two syllables like fallow, but that doesn't have the same a-sound I have in either Halloween or fall. In my idiolect, fall has a different vowel than the first syllable of Halloween (which I pronounce the same as hollow), so neither value sounds quite right for the portmanteau word.

[carneggy.livejournal.com]

Many people would rhyme the Hallow part of Halloween with fallow (certainly I do). I much less frequently hear 'holloween'.

[mollpeartree.livejournal.com]

That is a swell website; thanks for linking.