When I sneezed and coughed at the same time a few days ago it occurred to me that there was no word to describe such a weird and in some ways amazing bodily function.
So I started thinking what would be a good word to describe what just happened.
Which is not easy to do when you have your head in a computer typing away, the TV is full of political upheavals and dinner needs to be cooked.
But one thing led to another, including recalling words like photojournalist that describe someone who does two jobs or is at least skilled in them both.
Then I also recalled how author Anthony Burgess invented many weird and wonderful words on his classic novel, A Clockwork Orange.
Horn was one such made up word and it meant to cry out, for instance, but there were many more, although few made it into common usage.
Burgess raided the Russian language for his made up words but for me it was more fun to join two current English words.
Or put a new meaning to someone’s name!
Here’s a Top 5 of words that you may or may not have seen before:
Number 1. Snough for when you sneeze and cough at the same time.
Number 2. Cratch for when you get a leg cramp and a stitch at the same time.
Number 3. Smeating is the act of smoking and eating at the same time. Disgusting, I know.
Number 4. Tobarnaby is going into denial when you have made a shocking error of judgement.
Number 5. Tomalcolmturnbull is when you finally stop talking bull and just call things as they are.
