Pawky

[Zeldar]

It's been a decade at least when some friends, maybe 10 of us in all, played a parlor game we called Fictionary, whether we were playing the "official" version or not. The idea was that each in turn would use the dictionary to locate an unfamiliar word which had a good chance of not being known to the other players. Then everybody, including the "chooser," would make up a definition with the idea that that version should get the most votes for being the "real" definition. The "chooser" would make the "correct" definition as strained a version of the dictionary version as possible while not giving a phony one.

Once all the "definitions" were written down, the "chooser" would read them all aloud and everybody would vote on which one was correct. The winner of the most votes would be the next "chooser." The game could last for hours if the players were clever enough and the words were weird enough.

One I didn't choose but which I defined as "a yogurt covered raisin" was pawky because we had some of those for snacky things at the gathering.

Ever since than we have used "pawky" as a name for them. That had slipped my mind the other day when I brought home a package of yogurt covered pretzels. My wife shouted, "Pawkies!" and she had to remind me of that story I just told you.

This is just a thread to discuss similar nonsense, whether it relates to the OP or not.

For instance, imagine you're playing that game and have to come up with a believable definition for "pawky." What would yours be?

Ever hear the joke about the kids named Petal and Pawky?

[Wheelz]

Balderdash used to be one of my favorite board games. Your version sounds pretty much the same, but cheaper.

Pawky: adj. Of or related to the care of domestic birds or fowl. "I like this pet store; they have the best pawky supplies in town."

[Zeldar]

Originally Posted by Wheelz

Balderdash used to be one of my favorite board games. Your version sounds pretty much the same, but cheaper.

Pawky: adj. Of or related to the care of domestic birds or fowl. "I like this pet store; they have the best pawky supplies in town."

That's very much like how we did things -- minus the cards and dice. I suspect (can't recall) one of those friends mentioned brought in the idea and we just winged (wang?) it. We had several games of that sort and the rules may have run together in the meantime. I was generous with the"decade" thing. More like back in the 80's or 90's.

Thanks for the reply, Wheelz. I was getting scared that I might have a new "0 replies" thread going.

I wonder if we could adapt the basic idea of that game to The Dope...

[GreedySmurf]

How about a strange source of a name for a sportsperson?

My favourite footy team had a player called Michael Weyman. Trying to get my wife involved in supporting the team, she once asked where was Bill Weyman this week. (As in the Rolling Stones band member Bill Wyman). Thereafter, in our household at least, Michael Weyman was and still is known as Bill.

[MickNickMaggies]

Originally Posted by Zeldar

It's been a decade at least when some friends, maybe 10 of us in all, played a parlor game we called Fictionary, whether we were playing the "official" version or not. The idea was that each in turn would use the dictionary to locate an unfamiliar word which had a good chance of not being known to the other players. Then everybody, including the "chooser," would make up a definition with the idea that that version should get the most votes for being the "real" definition. The "chooser" would make the "correct" definition as strained a version of the dictionary version as possible while not giving a phony one.

We just played this in our language class. it was like pulling teeth to explain to my (mainly Chinese) team that we needed some fictional definitions. They insisted on coming up with variations on the real one, suggesting that the other team could then pick out which one was the one we'd copied...

Not one of our better days.

[Zeldar]

Originally Posted by MickNickMaggies

We just played this in our language class. it was like pulling teeth to explain to my (mainly Chinese) team that we needed some fictional definitions. They insisted on coming up with variations on the real one, suggesting that the other team could then pick out which one was the one we'd copied...

Not one of our better days.

I can easily see that the language barrier would be hard to overcome, especially in a game that is geared toward plausibility mostly.

I wish I could recall some of the wilder "definitions" our group came up with. It would be neat trying to figure out what the original word would have been.

[MickNickMaggies]

Originally Posted by Zeldar

I can easily see that the language barrier would be hard to overcome, especially in a game that is geared toward plausibility mostly.

I wish I could recall some of the wilder "definitions" our group came up with. It would be neat trying to figure out what the original word would have been.

In our case, it was worse because we're all language students. So we were all attempting to play in a non-native language.

Our word was 'Palis', incidentally. Which finally was:

a) a tool for use on bicycles
b) a 16th century chair
c) a part of an enclosure
d) a skin disease

Any native speaker likely would have twigged that 1 = palis, 1+ = palisade.

But we had four variations of 'it's a piece of a barrier' before much pointing and explanation by the teacher.