Thursday, October 18, 2012

A Dictionary of Oddities and Peculiarities, by 13 young writers


Compiled by Amanda, Ana, Caroline, Josh, Karina, Olivia, Phoebe L, Phoebe S, Rachel-Elizabeth, Rose, Seraphina, Sophia, and Weiwei on Wednesday, October 10, 2012, in the TEENS WRITE! workshop at the Tompkins County Public Library

This dictionary frequently contains multiple definitions, since various sources have been consulted in the preparation of the document, and the compilers are not taking sides.

aloooki A guava smoothie; A sub-species of chicken: A dancing bear
brozar A part of the inside of a trumpet; The pattern of rings on a rat's tail
clomarak The noise made by a tennis ball as it is thrown into a plastic tub; The last sound a tortoise makes in its lifetime; A cousin of the well-known anorak coat, distinguised by its detailed pocket watch pockets and extensive buttonry
devi-riri-fifi The sort of broo-ha-ha caused by a very posh woman as she seeks to reclaim her runaway poodle
emtobbelle A tiny french ocarina; transitive verb meaning to fall over, often in a humorous manner
fostirique Melted snow; A fuzzy hat; A perfume line that reached the height of its popularity in the Middle Ages
gamriloxx A gremlin that aspires to a career in theatre, film, or comedy
hojinaatter A Dutch variant of purple chrysanthemums; A frustrated exclamation in native Polar Bear, literally meaning "nothing is working"
iyiy When ivy grows sideways
joniswoop A bird with blue feet; A high Victorian collar worn by Hungarian countesses on the morning of their wedding days
kivanchi A not-so-tall mountain that should really be called a hill; An exotic alien form of kiwi
luwkin One of the 19 breeds of unicorn; A word for your kin if they are more lowly than you; a squid spread that can be eaten on crackers
min-min-minski A super-short skirt
nusko A new type of peanut; The smell of wood smoke in rain
oolybip An Irish dance step; raindrops that drip onto someone from an awning; A singular shoe
pytz A milkman; A toxic flower; The candlewax which has run down the side of the candle
quwit Little brothers; A bobby pin that has gotten hopelessly snagged in one's rat nest of a head
rokkor A giant flying pig; An onomatopoeic palindrome
shrrrrrrrrooo A hybrid beaver-cow
tink The fear of twilight and/or green fairies
ulmow A large green slug; A ukelele; A lawn mower
vivizeke A mutant grasshopper
wirpquaggle When you get into an argument with a duck; The icky feeling of soggy mud, when it's too soft to even stick to your fingers; When a dog can't stop wriggling
xleemu A very small lemur that has a curled tail that can't uncurl
yoiks A form of candy that grows only in underground caves in the tropics; An exclamation used to signify distress, joy, anger or surprise
zepto-bemento A magicke spell that sets things on fire