Here's a word that I coined. When you're attracted to somebody, but he or she "doesn't even know you're alive" as they say, then that person is "abiognostic," from the Greek prefix "a-" without, "bio-" life and "gnosis" knowledge. Everyday folks in love with Selma Hayek or Brad Pitt, for example, may find this word useful.

Welcome on Board Alex.

Can you transcribe this phonetically please. I can't get around it.

This term could easily be confused with one that describes my children: ambignostic. That is to say, they know something when they want to and don't know it when they don't.

>Can you transcribe this phonetically please. I can't get around it.

Maybe the "g" will be silent?

<Everyday folks in love with Selma Hayek or Brad Pitt, for example, may find this word useful.>

Funny Alex, you've described a group of people a buddy of mine coined a name for a few years back, pneumacephalics!

Doug has offered us the most wonderful of neologisms -- and one which I will add to my personal lexicon immediately. This seems the most excellent way of insulting someone without appearing to be insulting. Delicious. Funny. Good stuff.

Pneumacephalics is great - and opens the door to the latinisation of a whole raft of similar "head" statements/insults. I have a number of people in my little black book who I will find a reason to call faececephalics at the first opportunity.

Steve offered the following paternal praise: Doug has offered us the most wonderful of neologisms -- and one which I will add to my personal lexicon immediately. This seems the most excellent way of insulting someone without appearing to be insulting. Delicious. Funny. Good stuff.

Amen! I had to look at it twice the first time I saw it, then burst out laughing. The great thing is that, by definition, a pneumacephalic won't get upset when you describe him as such.

faececephalics
C.K.--I am utterly shocked at you!
(Snigger, snigger.) Clever, sir!

And, welcome, Alex. My first guess at pronunciation of
"abiognostic" would be ay (like in say)--biog--(with the g,
to sound like biography)--nostic. Ay--biog--nostic.

Jackie teased:faececephalics
C.K.--I am utterly shocked at you!
(Snigger, snigger.) Clever, sir!

Shocked? Pourquoi? Haven't you just returned from a city full of both pneumacephalics and faececephalics?

...a pneumacephalic won't get upset when you describe him as such.

That's right. She won't.

a pneumacephalic won't get upset when you describe him as such.

That's right. She won't.

Hey! I resemble that remark!

And yes, D.C. is full of both kinds of --cephs. Why do you think I chose the empty House of Representatives over the
fulsomely occupied Senate chamber?
In my opinion, the real fececeph. is whoever decided that my hotel would actually charge for on-line time!
I was outraged! A hotel can, in fact, be simultaneously expensive and cheap.

As for the pronounciation of "abiognostic," Jackie described the pronounciation that I use: "a-" rhymes with say, "biog" with a hard G, and "nostic."

"Pneumocephalic" is delightful. I am certain that I will find many occasions to use it.

Finally, I notice that in the left column under my name I am designated as a "stranger." Stranger than whom I wonder? Or perhaps it means I am a member of Merle Haggard's band... I notice that other folks are described as "addict," "old hand," "enthusiast," etc. How these designations made? Just curious.--A.W.

Alex, you couldn't possibly be any stranger than some of the people here!
"Stranger" means you've made fewer than 25 posts. Titles change at certain landmark numbers of posts. 25, 50, 100, 200, 400--uh oh--700, I think. For details, see any of the
Graduation threads in Miscellany, or Board Adjectives in
Info. and Announcements, I think.

ambignostic..
I like that (it also sounds better than abiognostic, which could have a host of other meanings besides the intended one).
How would you call people who only hear when they want, and are deaf otherwise?

pneumacephalics...
Very useful indeed. I even know some thermopneumacephalics.

proctalgic

How would you call people who only hear when they want, and are deaf otherwise?

People who only hear when they want and are deaf otherwise are called "husbands."

How would you call people who only hear when they want, and are deaf otherwise
Bloody-minded

A pneumacephalic won't get upset when you describe him as such.

I have heard you can call anyone a pinhead except a pinhead. Perhaps this does not apply to airheads.

people who only hear when they want, and are deaf otherwise

My mother always said I have "selective hearing". Now, my
mother-in-law says the same thing. Can't imagine why.

Wsieber, I like your thermopneumacephalics! I know a couple of thermonuclearcephalics, too! (Dang, Alex and Doug, look what you started!)

Alex, thanks for an outstanding thread.

I love abiognostic and ambignostic.

I thrill to pneumacephalic, its regional (?) variant pneumocephalic, and the lovely extended thermopneumacephalic. I think faececephalic (and the rv fececeph.) rocks, though I haven't a clue as to how I'd go about prnouncing it.

For pithy expressiveness, however, Nichola's contribution must take the palm - proctalgic.

Perhaps, though, given that all the roots are from ancient tongues, the word neologism is inappropriate? Palaeologisms or pseudopalaeologisms anyone?

cheer

the sunshine warrior

related to proctalgia (anus) are rectalgia (rectum) and the more general pygalgia (butt).