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#45305 10/20/01 05:19 PM
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In a post recently, someone said they wanted to get in "the last word" as the thread became knotted with rejoinders. We all know people (contrary to popular belief, not only men) who absolutely MUST have "the last word" on every subject. It's a compulsion. There must be a word to describe these people. Does anyone know what it is? We are indebted to them here on AWADtalk because they are the life support system for many otherwise terminal threads. In the event that no-one can find a word which describes a person having a compulsive need to register "the last word" on every subject, I am proposing the word "Omegatist".


#45306 10/20/01 05:28 PM
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...otherwise terminal threads.

How about "dead horse beater". I actually® have a better one, but not for all the *virgin ears around here...

OK, I'll save the word *coinage for someone else, but I'd be happy to "set" it to music for us.


#45307 10/20/01 06:58 PM
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Dear Plutarch: Indeed there is a need for the word. We all have met more than one guy to whom it would apply, the kind of guy who would die of frustration on a visit to Echo Canyon. Your " omegatist" has "egotist" in it, which I like. The only problem is that the targets don't know "omega" is last letter in Greek alphabet. Just to show I tried, I thought of "ultimatist" but isn't as good as yours.

While looking in Internet for ideas, I ran across this put-down:

http://www.abc.net.au/classic/breakfast/months/CFM_bfast_June2001.htm

Sconser

A person who looks around
when talking to you, to see if
there's anyone more interesting
about.



#45308 10/20/01 07:24 PM
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Sconser
A person who looks around
when talking to you, to see if
there's anyone more interesting
about.

Yes, wwh. I have been "sconsed" a few times myself ... usually when I am doing my own "sconsing". Would you call this a "double sconse"? Have you noticed that "sconsors" are usually too busy "sconsing" to know that they are being being "sconsed"? BTW if a "target" doesn't know he's been targeted, at least initially, that's not such a bad thing. The best terms of derision are like those "bunker busters" they are using in Afghanistan. They squirrel their way in before they explode.



#45309 10/20/01 09:24 PM
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Speaking of solecisms, what do you call the practice of picking imaginary lint off the shoulder of a vicitim's suit in feigned concern for his appearance?


#45310 10/20/01 09:54 PM
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Dear Wordminstrel: I had a teacher who used to pick lint off us boys. So I took a spool of thread, passed end through eye of needle, passed needle through inside of breast pocket up to shoulder of my coat with the spool in breast pocket. Just as I knew she would, she picked up thread and pulled out a yard of thread. She nearly fainted, expecting to see my suit coal fall apart.


#45311 10/20/01 10:12 PM
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I had a teacher who used to pick lint off us boys. So I took a spool of thread ..... Just as I knew she would, she picked up thread and pulled out a yard of thread. She nearly fainted, expecting to see my suit coal fall apart.
Get outta here! You did that! Genius. Pure Genius, wwh. Who can top this school boy prank? Anyone want to try? BTW, you've been known to needle some of those same threads here in AWADtalk .



#45312 10/20/01 10:51 PM
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From a circa-1970's issue of Reader's Digest, Quotable Quotes (I remember this because my mom had it taped to the inside of the pantry door for a decade or two):

If you really want the last word in an argument, try saying "I guess you're right"

and guess what... it works! =)

and in reckless deviation from the subject at hand, i might as well share the quote which she had taped below that one, only because i think it's so wise (and could potentionally be put to use here in AWADtalk, in these volatile times):

"Never answer an angry word with an angry word... It's the second one that makes the quarrel"

#45313 10/20/01 11:03 PM
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Dear Plutarch: in the annals of AWADtalk, I have been patsy more often than perpetrator.


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In the eighth grade, I had an English teacher(she was also my Home Ec teacher) who was so old and burnt out and boring, I would conceal a book in my lap and read for the full hour. One day, thinking to expose me for reading in class, she asked the question first and then called on me by name. Well, something intuitively alerted me and I was listening with 1 1/2 ears when she asked the question. I merely looked up from my book, answered the question correctly, and resumed reading. She never tried a stunt like that again and I was allowed to read at will. I also aced the class.


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