Making Real Words

I watched this TED talk last night: Erin McKean: Redefining the dictionary. She was witty and truly geeky-right after my own heart, particularly her saying If you love a word, use and make it real. I love to make up my own words, particularly suffixxing them with -orama, -ista, -izationally, or -inator (you must speak it like a Terminator). Culture and language-fun stuff with which to play.

I love how culture changes. Take the rubber shoes that are so hot now for example. Mike bought me green rubber Berkenstocks in 1999 while I was pregnant with Phoebe. I worn those things out! There were holes in the toes from where the metal protection on the stairs sometimes caught them (I wear a size women's 11). So, imagine my surprise when rubber shoes became so popular! My paranoia also set in since I am convinced that there is some fashionalographer (photographer of cultural fashion) assigned to me now.

Vicky Beckham's hair style is another example. I sported that style Summer 2007 for my donation to Locks of Love. I cut it like Aeon Flux so I could maximize the length of my donation. I then did a touch of traveling and I know that fashionalographer followed me!

Now I know that I am being watched, possibly even heard! I will use my words and make them real and see how long it takes before Erin puts one of my words in the OED.