Quoting DailyWTF:
The Matrix! No, not the the uburbulous deprodication errebelously conceived by “The Architect”.
What is the accepted definition of the following words in the preceding quote?
- uburbulous
- deprodication
- errebelously
asked Nov 16, 2010 at 22:19
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1 Answer
None of those are actual English words. I'd say what is going on is that these are intentional "caricatures" of English words, used for humorous effect.
"Uburbulos" appears to just a jumble of endings and roots that results in the same meaning as "urban".
"Deprodication" is a mashing together (perhaps) of depredation and "reproduction", with further liberties taken with the resulting form.
"Errebelous" appears to be a true portmanteau of "erroneous", and "libelous". (That is, a word made by conflating two other words; a phenomenon popularized by Louis Carroll--see Jabberwocky. The canonical example is "smog"="smoke"+"fog".)
While this particular example is over the top for the sake of humor, this sort of thing is one way in which language evolves. So, don't expect to see "deprodication" in a dictionary any time soon (or ever!), but be aware that this same phenomenon occurs in less extreme forms.
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Hmm. I thought Pa Clampett deduced that "smog" meant "small hog".– mmyersCommented Nov 16, 2010 at 22:53
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Ok so thanks for that. What is the "new" meaning of errebelous then? is it describing an action taken that is both in error and a cause of libel? Commented Nov 16, 2010 at 23:09
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1In the words of Edmund Blackadder: "Allow me to be the first to offer Dr. Johnson my most sincere contrafibularities! I am anaspeptic, frasmotic, even compunctuous to have caused him such pericombobulation." reviewers-choice.com/blackadder_the_third.htm Commented Nov 16, 2010 at 23:23
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@Claudiu: customers who liked smog also liked these portmanteaux. Commented Nov 17, 2010 at 10:27