Thursday, December 17, 2020

Ho-hum word power

For some reason, just now, I feel like coining a bunch of words that play variations on the theme of humdrum, fair-to-middling, second-rate mediocrity. Here goes:

Oquesadilla /oh-kay-suh-DEE-yuh/ – n. a passable, but not great, American take on traditional Mexican street food. "Is Velveeta OK on your oquesadilla?"

Pediocre /pee-dee-OH-ker/ – adj. acceptable to kids' tastes but not so spectacular for adults. "This canned spaghetti is really pediocre."

Mediogre /mee-dee-OH-ger/ – adj. not especially threatening, for the villain of a story. "Christoph Waltz was mediogre in Green Hornet."

So-sewing /soh-SOH-wing/ - n. fashion items that look like they're worth bargain prices. "Everything in my closet is so-sewing."

Subparlor /sub-PAR-ler/ – adj. not quite at home in the above-stairs scenes of, say, Gosford Park. "Thrupworth's accent is a tad subparlor, what?"

Blanding /BLAN-ding/ – n. a letdown; a somewhat anticlimactic ending. "Shogun is an engaging book, until it comes in for a blanding."

Supermuddle /SOO-per-mud-ul/ - n. a good-looking actor or actress of below-average ability. "I've learned that movies headlined by a supermuddle aren't worth seeing."

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