|
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
such a person is a bane, a pest, a bête noire, a bugbear, a curse... and speaking of a curse, could be personified (so to speak) by Joe Bfstplk, the Al Capp cartoon character who walked around with a storm cloud over his head and was a total jinx but otherwise was pretty likable.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204 |
The epithet that springs to my mind is, "pillock."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
A sociallydestructive person is an illwind, because it's an ill wind that brings nobody any good.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,296 |
A sociallydestructive person is an illwind
Ahem. Not to be confused with a wordwind, Dr. Bill.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 833
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 833 |
I also think it is a mythical term... or maybe biblical.
When I have time, I'll have a look through my Facts on File Dictionary of Classical, Biblical, and Literary Allusions and see what I can find....but don't have time at the moment, should be heading off for bed, dammitall, what am I doing here AGAIN?!
Let us go in peace to love and serve the board.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 475
addict
|
|
addict
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 475 |
plonker or dipstick are good words for hapless mayhem magnets ( thinking rodney trotter here)
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055
old hand
|
|
old hand
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,055 |
> I'll have a look through my Facts on File Dictionary of Classical, Biblical, and Literary Allusions
Please do, MG, you might find what I'm trying to think of.
I like tsuwm's options; a bête noire is a little fav. of mine (sic).
I was lying round reading last night and it occured to me there there is probably a classical literary character that fits this description perfectly. I'm no expert on Greek lit. but I'm sure there's a Euripidean play that deals with this. Perhaps there is a character who fits this context? What about Deianeira? ...she certainly causes disaster unwittingly, when her desire to protect her marriage leads to Herakles' death, and her suicide. I don't know all those plays well enough to round down too well. Maybe someone else can. You'd think that in all the tragedies that Euripides or Aeschylus, or one of those blokes wrote, that they would have to have dealt with this topic.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346
veteran
|
|
veteran
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346 |
plonker or dipstick are good words for hapless mayhem magnets Only thing is that neither specifies someone who brings bad things to others, dody, though certainly the unintentional aspect is there. However, I think the term "mayhem magnet" is brilliant, and should be included in the world-famous AWADictionary 
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 4,189 |
How 'bout Frankenstein?..."I only wanted to be friends with the girl, but she just kept screaming."
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,636 |
I can't for the life of me remember title or author of a story I read once about a lorry driver that couldn't escape the rain. That meant he could never stay long in one place because then there would be floods. Could it be Douglas Adams? This is now driving me nuts, TYVM! Admittedly, it's a short drive!
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,915
Posts229,855
Members9,197
| |
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
|
|
|
1 members (wofahulicodoc),
448
guests, and
0
robots. |
|
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
|
