#71243
05/25/2002 6:21 PM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6
stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6 |
I saw the word "percerberating" in another on-line forum, and I couldn't even find in in the OED. Is this a word anyone knows?
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#71244
05/25/2002 6:31 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
I checked Onelook.com and there wasn't anything in their over 700+ dictionaries, but wwh uses words here that aren't listed there!
Anyway, more to the point, what was the context? That may give a clue about a possible misspelling or maybe wordplay.
Best regards,
WW
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#71245
05/25/2002 6:35 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 13,858 |
If it's not in OED, it is probably a mis-spelling of "perseverating". Unless someone made a coinage from "Cerberus": Hellhound of Greek mythology, Cerberus was the
three-headed, dragon-tailed dog that stood guard at the
opening to the underworld.
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#71246
05/25/2002 7:20 PM
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
Did you ask in that forum barnwitch? Now you've tweaked my curiosity.
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#71247
05/25/2002 7:47 PM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 0
stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 0 |
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#71248
05/25/2002 7:51 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
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#71249
05/25/2002 8:00 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 13,858 |
Dear WO'N: Are you in the right thread? " Some groups practiced the Meidung (shunning and social avoidance), while others
showed a more tolerant attitude toward the person who transgressed. ... "
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#71250
05/25/2002 9:33 PM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 10,542 |
bill, you may be on the right track; it's possible that someone was trying to coin a word for the phrase "to give a sop to Cerberus". (that might get a few hits)
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#71251
05/25/2002 10:47 PM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6
stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6 |
Here is the original use. The person is somewhat of a PITA who seems to delight in annoying people. I am convinced she made up the word or is doing a Norm Crosby. I looked in OED and also did a search on the word. Nada.
"Please try to avoid percerberating and provide a cogent response."
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#71252
05/25/2002 10:56 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 6,296 |
exacerbating + prevaricating = percerberating (sort of?)
exacerbating + persisting = percerberating (sort of?)
persisting + exacerbating + berating = percerberating (almost)
Wonder what the pita thought she was spreading her language layers with?
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#71253
05/25/2002 11:20 PM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
Re:is doing a Norm Crosby? and what is a Norm Crosby!?
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#71254
05/25/2002 11:23 PM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6
stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6 |
Exasperating+persisting+prevaricating would describe the afore mentioned pita....
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#71255
05/25/2002 11:28 PM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6
stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6 |
re Norm Crosby;
"King of the malaprop, Norm always speaks from his 'diagram' and drinks'decapitated' coffee. His confusing word play and twisted speech has been an audience favorite since his days on The Ed Sullivan Show."
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#71256
05/25/2002 11:34 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 4,189 |
Re:is doing a Norm Crosby? and what is a Norm Crosby!?Helen, Norm Crosby was a stand-up comedian whose whole act was comprised of a steady stream of malapropisms...it was funny stuff!  His career peaked in the 60's and 70's, but he still gets casino gigs, etc. He was almost a fixture on shows like The Ed Sullivan Show and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. I'm pretty sure he coined, "Hey! I resemble that remark!" And welcome, barnwitch, to our merry band of marauding wordsters!
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#71257
05/25/2002 11:40 PM
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 4,189 |
Oops, barnwitch! Our Crosbys crossed 'in the mail'! 
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#71258
05/25/2002 11:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 688
addict
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addict
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 688 |
I absolutely love Norm Crosby!
And welcome barnwitch! Nice to see another New Yorker aBoard.
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#71259
05/25/2002 11:53 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Posts: 13,858 |
Dear tsuwm: thanks for that phrase "a sop to Cerberus" searching for it yielded a site with a lot of information about cerberus: http://www.cerbslair.com/cerberus.html
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#71260
05/26/2002 11:27 AM
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6
stranger
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stranger
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 6 |
I checked back to the original post, and found I wasn't the only person who hit the dictionaries for this word. Someone there suggested the person was trying to use the word 'cerebrating'. But then the sentence makes absolutely no sense at all. AVOID thinking, pondering, reflecting, meditating and still come up with a cogent response??
I think it was a clear case of someone trying to use a big word to impress people and failing miserably at it.
And thanks for the warm welcomes!!
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#71261
05/26/2002 3:48 PM
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 170
member
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member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 170 |
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#71262
05/26/2002 3:56 PM
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Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
Isn't one thread full of dung enough?
Beetle's me.
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