A tale of two neologisms

Son of Apus (who coincidentally plies his trade at a computer adjacent to JD's Engine Room) recently celebrated his quarter century, so it must be some 15 years ago that I heard him using the word 'fasety' for 'aggressive in a non-violent way'. Friends and colleagues I tried it on had not heard of it and it might well have been no more than a short-lived expression used by schoolkids in our neighbourhood.

Now a pal down here at the seaside has come up with another neologism, courtesy of his 14-year-old son who, upon beating his dad at a computer game, gleefully exclaimed: 'I owned you!'. When questioned, the lad confirmed that 'own' means 'beat' and, just like my son all those years ago, was surprised his dad didn't know the word.

Just another local fashion, or has anyone out there encountered this usage?

Portmanteaux: safe-tergent, Britishstani

Following JD's reference to portmanteau words, here are a couple I encountered last night.

First, from a TV ad for a soap powder called Woolite (pictured right) is safe-tergent - for which the copywriter responsible should have his/her knuckles rapped.

But rather more interesting was the portmanteau coined during a BBC Radio 4 feature by a Brit whose grandparents came to the UK from Pakistan. Feeling equally alienated from his family's culture and 'mainstream' British culture, he referred to himself as Britishstani.

Not a portmanteau but a neologism that I predict we'll hear more of comes from the illustrious lips of our Prime Minister, who told Radio 4 listeners: "I've always been an Atlanticist". Meaning, I assume, that he takes great stock in the UK's 'special relationship' with our English-speaking cousins across the Pond.

What our non-English-speaking cousins across the Channel and North Sea will think of this westward gaze we can well imagine.

New word: meanderthals

It's nice to be in at the birth of a new word. A chum recently mentioned that he's sick and tired of slow-moving pedestrians who suddenly change direction and cause chaos in crowded streets – he refers to them as 'meanderthals'.

Spot the meanderthal