In an old edition of GBWR there was an entry for something like “Most Succinct Word” or “Word that conveys the most complex meaning.” It was a word from a relatively primitive culture and it meant something like “the moment when two people look at each other hoping the other one is going to do it.” It applied to a situation where someone might say to another, “We need more wood for the fire.” and both people would look at each other waiting/hoping the other would say “I’ll do it.” I know there are alot of logophiles on this board so have at it.
The word is “mamihlapinatapai” … You were looking at me hoping I would find it right?
Sounds a bit like a stand off, an impasse or even a deadlock to me. 
Aha! Thanks man. Do you know the word from the GBWR or from another source?
Also, what is the actual noun here, the moment, the look?
Also is it used as a noun or a verb?
http://www.recordholders.org/en/news/news013.html
Allow myself to perform a slight hijack and mention that Douglas Adams and a cohort of his published a book called the Meaning of Liff, in which they gave names to these sort of situations (like if you came into the kitchen but, upon arriving, forgot why you were going in). I believe they were given the names of small towns. I can’t remember the fellow Adams worked with, but I know he did a calendar called Not 1982.
Sounds a bit like Rich Hall’s “Sniglets.” Here’s one apropos of your name:
Bovilexia (bo vil eks’ e uh) - n. The uncontrollable urge to lean out the car window and yell “Moo!” every time you pass a cow.
And here is one apropos of the entire SDMB:
Dopeler effect- the tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
Hmm … correct to the point answer and quite clever delivery.
Holy crap! :eek: What have you done with handy! If you’ve harmed a hair on his head I swear…:mad:
The Meaning of Liff and the expanded version The Deeper Meaning of Liff were written by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd. Example:
As far as Guinness claiming that Fuegian is the most succinct word in English, I have my doubts. There’s lots of words that have a much more complicated meaning than that. I’d like to know what their definition of succinct is.
Yeah. I would nominate “irony” for succinct with a complicated definition.
Fuegian ISN’T the most succinct word… its the geographic origin of the word…
The actual word, as mentioned above, is mama… mama… mamaidontknowwhattherestis.
So, how do you pronounce it?
“mamihlapinatapai”
I could fingerspell it, but I would like to know how to say it without hearing myself say it (don’t ask).
one source says: ma mee haa laa pee nah tuh pie